'I shouldn't have done that': Bailey Smith regrets smashing ball into opponent's head
Updated . First published at
Bailey Smith may find himself in hot water with the AFL's match review officer after lashing out at Hawthorn's Jarman Impey in a bizarre incident on Monday.
Tensions boiled over for the Geelong recruit in the second term as he crossed the boundary line under pressure from Impey before slamming the ball into his rival's head.
The display left an unaware Impey down on the turf as his Hawthorn teammate Conor Nash came rushing in to defend the 29-year-old.
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Nash and Smith wrestled for a moment on the sidelines before a free kick was given to the Hawks for the high contact.
"Oh, a little bit silly but not much in it," Hawks great Jason Dunstall said on Fox Footy.
Bailey Smith Fox Footy
"That's a free kick, that's enough."
Impey slowly returned to his feet and continued to play on with no visible signs of discomfort or injury.
Speaking after the game, Smith admitted it wasn't his finest moment.
"It was a bit of carry on, I shouldn't have done that," he told Fox Footy.
"Mate, it's Easter Monday, you get fired up. So a bit of a … I can't swear, but not a good act.
"But oh well, it's just all part of it. I love it, I can cop it. It's good fun, all in the spirit of the game."
Conor Nash of the Hawks and Bailey Smith of the Cats wrestle as Jarman Impey of the Hawks falls to the ground. AFL Photos via Getty Images
It is unclear the severity of the punishment Smith will receive for the act, although in 2015 Richmond defender Alex Rance was fined $1000 for a similar act on Joel Selwood.
Geelong coach Chris Scott didn't think much of the incident.
"Do we need to say anything to him? He's been interviewed post-game, he's aware of it, it's not like we need to go: 'Hey Bailey, don't give away free kicks'. Even though he's only 23, he gets it," Scott told Fox Footy.
"Now if that happens every game, we've got a huge problem and we need to shift. But I think that's the first thing of that nature I've seen from him in the hoops."
Such an act comes just a week after Smith was fined $1000 for flipping off Crows fans in during Geelong's 19-point Gather Round win.
Conor Nash of the Hawks is seen as Gryan Miers of the Cats is taken from the field. AFL Photos via Getty Images
Smith will not be the only player set for a nervous wait on the MRO's decision as Nash was reported for an ugly strike on Geelong's Gryan Miers.
Nash collected the Cats' forward with a swinging arm that left him out cold on the turf before he was assisted by team medics to the sheds.
"That's a man in trouble big time," Dunstall said.
"You just can't have swinging arms like that and we've seen in it recent times," Dunstall said.
North Melbourne great David King noted the foul play incident will likely see calls for a send-off rule recorded
"The ramifications on this game are huge," King said.
"The conversations will start again about red cards and all sorts of things because Gryan Miers has set up five scores for the Cats.
"He's their most creative half forward, particularly with the ball in hand."
