Cats skipper Patrick Dangerfield has defended star Bailey Smith after the midfielder was forced to apologise for verbally abusing a photographer at the club’s open training session earlier this month.
Smith has been told to “pull his head in” after he was photographed flipping the middle finger at the female snapper before he launched an expletive tirade at her – while she was doing her job in the stands.
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When questioned about Smith’s actions on AFL360, Dangerfield said he didn’t need to scold his star teammate.
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“Was it a moment to intervene?” AFL360 co-host Gerard Whateley asked.
“Ahhh, no – I wasn’t even aware it was happening. I don’t think any of our guys did to be honest,” Dangerfield replied.
“It was a training session so yeah I think there’s incidences that happen that you know, upon reflection yeah he’d like his time back again.
“But there’s always context to it – and sometimes it’s relevant and sometimes it’s not.
“And clearly he’s remorseful and didn’t get it totally right – but he’s not perfect and no one is so we’re not gonna court martial him to the town square for it.”
Whateley then asked: “Do you have a conversation as a leadership group with him?”
Dangerfield then said: “No – we don’t really have a leadership group Gerard, to be honest.”
Whateley followed that up with: “What about just as a captain?”
The Cats skipper then said his first response was to reach out and check on Smith’s welfare.
“First and foremost it’s a check in because the blow up, particularly around someone who is covered as extensively as what Bailey is, is significant. So it’s check in first and foremost,” he replied.
“He doesn’t need me to tell him he did the wrong thing – he knew that.
“So there’s a fine balance between ‘you’ve got to be better’ – the athlete knowing that, and then you know equipping them the right way to handle it next time, but also not drawing them across the coals for too long.
“At some point you’ve got to move on and focus on what’s next.”
Smith is no stranger to controversy this season, having been fined twice already for his middle finger gestures.
Smith has said he did not appreciate the photographer taking his photo while receiving treatment on the boundary, before telling her she was “doing a f—ing s–t job”.
Cats CEO Steve Hocking called the photographer on behalf of the club, while Smith later sent an apology text.
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