Geelong’s dual premiership coach Chris Scott has issued a personal apology to a young female AFL media staffer days after star player Bailey Smith was condemned for swearing at a female photographer.
The woman was reduced to tears after Scott’s heated and aggressive exchange with her following the Cats’ qualifying final win over Brisbane.
Scott later phoned the staffer on Wednesday, after discussions with AFL officials and Cats CEO Steve Hocking, to offer a direct apology.
The controversy unfolded on the same day Smith was caught swearing and making an obscene gesture towards a female photographer at training.
‘The club acknowledges an interaction that took place post-game last Friday night. The club confirms Chris called the AFL staff member to personally apologise for the exchange and the apology was accepted,’ a Geelong spokesperson told News Corp.
The AFL confirmed that Scott’s apology was accepted by the staffer and declared the matter officially closed.
Geelong coach Chris Scott apologised after his fiery outburst left a young AFL media staffer visibly shaken and upset
Bailey Smith sparked controversy at training when he swore and made a rude gesture toward a female photographer
Geelong accounted for the reigning premiers and will now meet Adelaide or Hawthorn in next week’s preliminary final.
It comes in a week of controversy during which Smith drew fire for swearing at a female photographer.
Meanwhile the photographer who was on the receiving end of the expletive-laden tirade from Smith also said the Geelong star swore at another female member of the media in a separate incident.
Cats boss Steve Hocking has given Geelong Advertiser photographer Alison Wynd a personal apology after Smith singled her out at training on Wednesday in a heated exchange that saw him tell her ‘you do a f***ing s*** job’.
Smith walked towards the photographer, who took pictures of him while working near the boundary line during the session.
The 24-year-old, who’s one of the favourites to win the Brownlow Medal, then launched an expletive-laden tirade at the snapper.
Smith clashed with Wynd when he was pictured giving the middle finger to the camera while receiving treatment on his back during the session, which was open to the media.
He told her to ‘stop trying to bait me’ and said his treatment was a ‘private moment’, despite the fact the training was made open to the media.
Bailey Smith (pictured) accused a photographer of ‘baiting’ him and interrupting a private moment at Geelong training on Wednesday
Wynd told Geelong media officials afterwards that it wasn’t her first run-in with Smith.
‘I said it’s unacceptable, I don’t come to work to get sworn at,’ she told News Corp.
‘He’s sworn at people three times, me twice and an ABC female reporter.
‘Bailey needs to remember I’ve been invited there by the football club to photograph training.
‘I’m not there photographing him leaving his house or with his girlfriend.
‘I’m just doing my job, photographing his job and it’s not in his private time.’
Wynd hasn’t lodged an official complaint, but many footy fans are calling for Smith to be sanctioned.
‘Surely Bailey Smith should cop a massive fine or even weeks for verbally abusing a female photographer just doing her job. What’s the difference between this situation and Rankine?’ posted one X user.
Photographer Alison Wynd (pictured with Smith during Wednesday’s incident) says the Cats star has sworn at her twice, and also swore at a female reporter
Wynd says the 24-year-old’s behaviour is unacceptable. Many fans agree with her
‘I often thought Bailey Smith was a dill. Changed my view over the way he spoke about mental health. Today he confirmed dill status, abusing a photographer invited to an open training session. It’s never ok to abuse someone in their workplace. Smith must apologise or be fined,’ posted another.
‘What’s Caro saying about Bailey Smith abusing a lady in her workplace today? Where’s the outrage? Surely he should be suspended for the year. That’s how it works, right?,’ said a third.
‘Bailey Smith must be banned by the @AFL. No way he can play the next game. Disgusting behaviour,’ posted another.
Geelong coach Chris Scott was fuming earlier in the season when a conversation between him and Smith was broadcast at training.
Scott later said: ‘If they keep doing that stuff, we won’t let them in, because it was so misleading, the way that was reported.’
Smith has always been one of the more heavily covered players in the AFL, but the amount of scrutiny surrounding him has gone through the roof since the Daily Mail exclusively revealed his date with influencer Tammy Hembrow.
Scrutiny of the Geelong star has gone through the roof since his romance with fitness influencer Tammy Hembrow went public
On that occasion in early August, our photographer was also on the end of a sweary outburst when he mispronounced Tammy’s surname – saying ‘Hem–brow’ instead of ‘Hem–bro’ – Smith didn’t hesitate to scold him.
‘It’s Hem-bro, not Hem-brow,’ Smith snapped.
‘F**kin’ hell, do your research.’
When he was then pressed on whether he and Tammy were officially an item, Smith replied: ‘What do you want me to say?’ before letting loose with a string of expletives.
The Cats star was also in trouble for swearing at members of the media on August 14 after his side’s loss to Collingwood.
