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A furious Geelong mother has unleashed on AFL star Bailey Smith after he allegedly used foul language in front of her teenage son and other young fans following a Cats game - and claims the club is acting like it never happened.
The teen, who had been waiting excitedly on the sideline to meet his hero after the match, was left shaken when Smith allegedly blurted out a four-word profanity just weeks before the AFL Grand Final.
His mother said she immediately complained about his behaviour but believes the incident has been swept under the carpet to protect the star midfielder's reputation.
'To speak [around] kids like that, come on mate, you're not playing local football,' she told Daily Mail, speaking anonymously for fear of fan backlash.
'They're meant to be role models, not just playing for the fun of it. They're getting paid good money, they've got sponsors.
'They have to be held accountable and my son deserves an apology.'
A Geelong mum has unleashed on Bailey Smith (right, with Tammy Hembrow) after he allegedly used foul language in front of her teenage son and other young fans following a Cats game
The teen, who had been waiting excitedly on the sideline to meet his hero after the match, was left shaken when Smith (left, with Suns player Noah Anderson) allegedly blurted out a four-word profanity just weeks before the AFL Grand Final
It comes after a string of controversies involving hot-headed Smith mouthing off, including being caught flipping the bird to media while training.
He also landed in hot water when Mad Monday celebrations spiralled into scandal after he made a clumsy Brokeback Mountain reference alongside teammate Patrick Dangerfield that some viewed as homophobic and out of touch.
Geelong responded by ending the club's annual Mad Monday tradition.
It was on August 8 that Geelong beat Essendon by 44 points in the finals at Kardinia Park and Smith made his way to the sideline to greet fans.
The boy, who had watched the game with his grandfather, a proud club member for 50 years, had been waiting after every match all season in the hope of meeting Smith, who was transferred in March after five seasons with the Bulldogs.
'He was really excited when he saw him heading over,' his mum said.
'Because it was the first time all year [Smith had come to greet fans] my son held up his hand to high-five him and said "about time" - as a joke.'
It was then, she alleges, that Smith decided he was done with the fan interaction, firing off two four-word profanities within earshot of fans and a fellow player before running off.
The alleged incident happened after Geelong beat Essendon by 44 points at Kardinia Park on August 8. (Smith is seen tackling Angus Clarke of the Bombers during that game)
A general view of Kardinia Park, the Cats' home ground. The boy's mother claims she alerted the club to the foul language and was told it would be escalated - then received no response
'He was just shattered, and everyone else who heard it was shocked. There were younger kids there too,' she added.
'His Pop brought him home and told me what happened. I was so angry I contacted the club straight away and complained and I got an email back saying they were going to escalate it higher up the club.'
But two months on, she claims no one has reached out to her about the alleged incident.
'My son says, "I love him as a player but not as a person," and that's just really sad,' she added.
'I get that he's human, no one is perfect and we all make mistakes, but this wasn't a mistake.
'He's a role model, and for my son [hear] that, I'm disgusted.
'I'm really upset and disappointed with the way the club has handled this. Nobody has got back to me.
'I did what I could, but for the club not to follow up, it's pretty slack to be honest.'
'We still bought Grand Final tickets and he still went off to the Grand Final but I just think, "Who does this guy think he is, really?"'
Smith has form when it comes to colourful language when interacting with members of the public and the media.
During a training session, he swore at a female News Corp photographer who'd been invited to take pictures for 'vision opportunities' - a long-standing league practice.
'I've been shooting Cats footy players for 25 years, I've never been sworn at or had someone be so aggressive to me,' said Geelong Advertiser snapper Alison Wynd.
He also told a Daily Mail photographer, 'F** off, do your research,' after he mispronounced the name of Tammy Hembrow, whom Smith was dating at the time.
Smith added: 'Stop being a weird c***, mate... You're a grown man, this is actually f****d.'
The allegation comes after a string of controversies involving hot-headed Smith, including this off-colour Instagram post referencing Brokeback Mountain after the Cats' Grand Final loss
Smith rocked 'speed dealer' sunnies at the Brownlow Medal last month
This week, Geelong was hit with a $77,500 fine and will face more stringent AFL scrutiny after an investigation into their controversial third-party deals.
The Cats accepted the penalty, with $40,000 of the fine suspended for two years.
The AFL did an extended audit of the club, from 2019-24, after an initial audit last year. The extended audit covered total player payments and the football department soft cap.
Geelong's third-party deals have been a persistent topic in the media over the last few months, particularly after coach Chris Scott's arrangement with a club sponsor.
Smith also has a third-party deal with a major club backer. But it is unclear whether this was included in the extended audit, given he started playing for Geelong this season.
The AFL gave no details of which deals led to the fine.
Daily Mail has contacted the Geelong Cats three times in the last three weeks for comment and did not receive a reply. Smith's agent was also contacted for comment.
