Bailey Smith may have arrived at the Brownlow Medal awards without Tammy Hembrow, but he stole the spotlight nonetheless – but not always for the right reasons.
The Geelong Cats recruit has been a revelation this season and will line up against Brisbane in this Saturday’s AFL Grand Final.
He drew plenty of attention the Brownlow Medal awards at Crown Casino for his striking looks and bizarre decision to wear sunglasses to the event.
And Smith was also called out for manspreading when interviewed by host network Channel Seven.
Smith was being interviewed as part of the red carpet proceedings, sharing a small couch with Gold Coast Suns star Noah Anderson and his partner Charli Wheeler along with Seven personalities Elliot Garnaut and Isaac Smith.
While the others sat with their legs together, or crossed, Bailey was pictured splaying his legs out and taking up as much room as possible.
Sitting alongside Noah Anderson and others, Smith drew criticism for relaxed manspreading posture on a cramped Brownlow interview couch
Smith shocked fans at the Brownlow Medal, finishing third but stealing attention with his unusual red carpet antics
Manspreading is the term used to describe when a man sits with his legs spread wide apart, often on public transport, in a way that takes up more than one seat or encroaches on the space of people nearby.
‘All crammed on that tiny couch and he’s sitting like that, everything he does is unlikeable,’ one viewer posted along with a screenshot of Smith looking very relaxed.
‘Hate to sit next to him on a train or tram. Man spreading entitlement written all over it,’ another viewer commented.
‘Too self absorbed to get it?’ asked another.
Other footy fans defended Smith, saying it was all part of his brand and that people needed to lighten up.
‘That’s his act, some people love it. Apart from that though, he can bloody play footy, ‘eh?’ one fan asked.
Another posted: ‘Oh no the world is going to end. How do you even live being this much of a Karen?’.
Smith was not able to convert his big year with the Geelong Cats into a Brownlow Medal win, finishing third in the voting behind Collingwood star Nick Daicos and winner Matt Rowell from the Gold Coast Suns.
Despite his impressive season with Geelong, Bailey Smith finished third, trailing Collingwood’s Nick Daicos and Gold Coast’s Matt Rowell
Footy fans clashed online over Bailey Smith’s behaviour, some calling it self-absorbed while others defended his larger-than-life brand
Smith arrived alone at Crown Casino, with rumoured love interest Tammy Hembrow notably absent from the Brownlow red carpet
He paired a charcoal suit from YSG Tailors with striking ‘speed dealer’ sunglasses, in images that quickly went viral.
Smith arrived on the red carpet solo, after previously saying he would take his jiu-jitsu instructor Max de Been to the awards. He also tagged the de Been Jiu Jitsu Academy in his Instagram post from the night.
Nowhere to be seen was Tammy Hembrow, the Gold Coast fitness influencer Smith had been getting cosy with in the lead up to the Brownlows.
The pair had been spotted on dates on the Gold Coast and in Melbourne, dining in trendy restaurants and packing on the PDAs.
However Smith said the pair were ‘just mates’ on KIIS FM’s Kyle & Jackie O Show on Monday.
‘What’s going on [with you and Tammy]? Are you taking Tammy tonight or not?’ host Kyle Sandilands asked.
Bailey responded: ‘No, I’m not. No. I didn’t want to bore her with footy all night. She’s not a big footy fan. And we’re just mates.’
‘So, you guys aren’t exclusive or boyfriend and girlfriend?’ co-host Jackie Henderson questioned.
Bailey confirmed: ‘No, we’re just mates.’
