- Geelong star blew up at photographer on Wednesday
The photographer who was on the receiving end of an expletive-laden tirade from Bailey Smith says 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**king s**t 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.
