The latest chapter in the Bailey Smith saga now involves Chris Scott and AFL journalist Caroline Wilson.
The two-time Premiership-winning coach joined Tuesday’s episode of The Agenda Setters to discuss last week’s win over the Gold Coast Suns, before the conversation quickly turned to Geelong’s much-maligned midfield star following a recent off-field catchup with AFL boss, Andrew Dillon.
Scott, who quickly jumped to the defence of the 24-year-old, traded barbs in a fiery back and forth exchange with Wilson, eventually revealing the club has spoken to Smith privately following his recent off-field controversies.
“Because of his history that’s why he gets targeted by these sorts of people and these sorts of comments,” Scott said, referring to Smith’s recent Instagram response citing his desire to engage in “nose beers” after winning the Grand Final.
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“Andrew Dillon didn’t think it was a joke,” Wilson interrupted.
“He’s so influential to so many impressionable young kids. He’s a lot older than some of your 18- and 19-year-old kids at your footy club, and he’s a hero to them.”
"I think he responded to a troll in the way that modern day players respond to trolls."
— 7AFL (@7AFL) June 10, 2025
Chris Scott on Bailey Smith's infamous Instagram comment 👇 pic.twitter.com/L3yWSMfn7H
Scott was quick to reply, stating Wilson’s ‘tough love’ approach to punishing young players who fall out of line wasn’t the way Geelong operates.
“Why would you take the position that our football club just thought, no that’s fine, we’ll let it slide. Just because we don’t come out publicly and embarrass our players and rub salt in the wound, it doesn’t mean that conversation hasn’t already been had,” Scott said.
Smith, who has turned into somewhat of a villain since joining Geelong, has created a number of headlines this year, notably flipping off the crowd during Gather Round and stating post-game that “you don’t get this in Ballarat,” when asked about playing in front of a large crowd during the Cats’ Round 8 win against Collingwood.
Not one to shy away, Smith took to Instagram on Wednesday morning to post a famous scene from Scarface in which Al Pacino delivers the line, “You people need people like me so you can point the fingers and say, that’s the bad guy.”