Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
Geelong star Bailey Smith continues to polarise AFL fans, this time for slamming a ball into opponent Jarman Impey’s head.
Smith crossed the boundary line under pressure from Hawthorn’s Impey on the wing in the second quarter of the blockbuster clash at the MCG on Monday.
The high-profile midfielder then whacked Impey in the side of the head with the ball in an incident that could draw more scrutiny from the match review officer.
Impey fell to the turf and received a free kick for the high contact.
“A little bit silly but not much in it,” Hawthorn legend Jason Dunstall said in Fox Footy’s commentary.
“It’s a free kick, that’s enough.”
Smith could also be scrutinised over a hand gesture directed towards Hawthorn fans when he was jeered while running off the ground.
It was unclear on the broadcast footage of the incident whether he raised his middle finger.
The latest incidents came little more than one week after Smith was fined $1000 for flipping a “double-bird” at an Adelaide fan who was taunting Geelong captain Patrick Dangerfield as the team walked off the ground.
Smith was jeered by Hawthorn fans – and cheered by Cats supporters – the next time he touched the ball after the unusual interaction with Impey.
And he played up to the crowd, goading those wearing brown-and-yellow minutes later when he ran to the bench for a rest.
Smith briefly cupped his hand to his ear and beckoned their noise, and repeated the first gesture before halftime when he took a mark and was again booed.
“He gave it to the crowd as he came off, too. He’s a ripper,” Dunstall said.
Impey was also jeered by Geelong fans despite being the innocent party in the clash with Smith.
