EXCLUSIVE: 'Don't talk shit to the skipper.’ Geelong superstar Bailey Smith has given 7NEWS an insight into his post-win act at Adelaide Oval that has now landed him in hot water with the AFL. https://t.co/kpaPe2lcrk @cleary_mitch @7AFL #7NEWS pic.twitter.com/6Ht6oZysoO
— 7NEWS Melbourne (@7NewsMelbourne) April 11, 2025
Bailey Smith’s in the headlines for all the right reasons – after Geelong’s 19-point comeback win over Adelaide last Thursday, he flicked a double-middle-finger at a Crows fan who’d been mouthing off at Patrick Dangerfield. It happened as he left Adelaide Oval, fresh off a masterclass of 35 disposals and a goal, and I’m absolutely here for it. The AFL pinged him with a $1000 fine, but this is no scandal – it’s a moment of raw footy passion that shows Smith’s got the fire we need more of in this game.
The incident itself is barely worth the fuss – some Adelaide supporter, high on the boos they’d been piling on Dangerfield all night for his ex-Crow status, decided to get personal. Smith, buzzing from dragging his team back from 30 points down alongside Dangerfield and Jeremy Cameron, wasn’t having it. He spun around, threw up both hands, and let the fan have it before jogging off. It was quick, cheeky, and honestly, who cares? Bailey’s already got the looks, and this act of ‘fuck you’ got me sneaky horny.
Let’s talk about the gesture – flipping the bird is not the end of the world. It’s a flash of defiance, not a manifesto against decency. The fine’s fair, keeps things tidy, but blowing this up into some ethical crisis is nonsense. Footy’s a pressure cooker – you play hard, you feel hard, and sometimes that spills over. Expecting players to be saints while copping abuse is a fantasy.
Here’s the thing – if fans want to serve it up, they’ve got to take it back. That’s footy’s heartbeat – the crowd’s in the game, not just watching it. It’s not about disrespect; it’s about keeping the spark alive. Those exchanges fire up the stands, fuel the rivalry, and make every goal mean more. If you’re too fragile for a bit of back-and-forth, maybe stick to soccer.
What seals it for me is Smith’s defiance – the media circled, fishing for a teary apology, but he gave them nothing. He stood firm, saying he’d back Dangerfield again, no regrets, because that’s how it works – you sling mud, you get it returned. Legacy media loves a witch-hunt, spinning these moments into headlines to feed their outrage machine, but Smith’s not biting. He’s out there playing, not pandering – and that’s why he’s a cut above.
