Latest news with #GMHBA
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
AFL superstar Bailey Smith has secret meeting with AFL boss and football officials
Geelong star Bailey Smith reportedly met with AFL CEO Andrew Dillon, league top brass and Cats officials for a 'secret meeting' on Thursday night following the player's recent indiscretions. Dillon was joined by Geelong coach Chris Scott, CEO Steve Hocking and head of football Andrew Mackie for the meeting at Smith's home, reports Seven's Mitch Cleary. The meeting, organised by Dillon, saw the parties discuss the 24-year-old's behaviour following Smith's recent social media post which alluded to illicit drug use. Smith also copped a fine earlier in the year for 'flipping the bird' to a fan during Gather Round. Dillon and other officials reportedly didn't lecture the young footy star, rather reiterated his importance to the AFL as a role model. The meeting was of such importance that Dillon prioritised the catch-up over heading to Marvel Stadium to meet with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. The gathering follows Smith's recent headline-grabbing controversies Meanwhile, Chris Scott expects Smith to miss just one match with his hamstring setback, but must wait to learn the full extent of Shannon Neale's ankle injury. Smith was put through a fitness test before the Cats' 9.7 (61) to 5.7 (37) win over Gold Coast at GMHBA Stadium on Saturday and was a late withdrawal. Midfield partner Max Holmes shone in his absence, tallying 40 disposals and 10 clearances, while Tyson Stengle kicked four goals in the low-scoring contest. A fourth straight victory lifted Geelong into the top four with a 9-4 record ahead of a clash with Essendon at the MCG next Saturday night. Scott said Smith had lingering hamstring tightness and a corked quadriceps out of the Cats' win over West Coast in round 12, and was not worth risking against the Suns. But he is 'very, very confident' the 24-year-old midfielder will return against the Bombers. 'He had a fitness test a few hours before the game and just didn't feel confident,' Scott said. 'Our tolerance for that sort of situation with any player, much less one like Bailey who depends so much on his running, is generally low. 'It was a pretty easy decision to pull him out, but then I'm told he went and did a 6-7km session. 'It was a situation where he was good enough to train but not good enough to play, which leads us to believe he'll be fine for next week.' Neale rolled his left ankle while contesting a boundary throw-in in the second quarter against Gold Coast and was substituted out before halftime. The 203cm key forward had kicked 14 goals in 12 appearances this season, becoming increasingly important to the Cats' attacking set-up. 'He may well have a scan and be pretty good, but there was enough doubt there that it wasn't one that they wanted him to play through,' Scott said. Stengle was the game's only multiple goal-kicker, his four goals proving the difference in a match played in difficult conditions. 'He is right up there with the best wet-weather small forwards that I've seen,' Scott said. 'He is just so clean and so clever, and for his size he's just so strong over the ball as well. 'He was a real threat all night.'
News.com.au
3 days ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
Footy world split by the Gold Coast Suns' pink jumper
The Gold Coast Suns have donned their pink guernseys to light up a dour day in Geelong against the Cats on Saturday. First unveiled in Gather Round in April, the pink jumpers are back as the Suns chase a first ever win at GMHBA Stadium at their eighth attempt. Earlier this week, the Gold Coast club announced the unusual strip is 'back by popular demand', going on to describe the design as both 'trailblazing' and 'pioneering' in a press release. The statement also said: 'The pink design pays tribute to the quintessential pink skies of a Gold Coast sunrise and reflects the club's push to break norms and long-standing tradition.' So there you go. The uniform is finished off with black shorts with a pink trim and pink socks. The outfit has more of a salmon hue as far as we're concerned, but we digress. The Cats, who are missing Brownlow contender and late out Bailey Smith (hamstring), have beaten the Suns by an average of 72 points over their seven straight wins against the expansion side at their home venue. Gold Coast also lost to Essendon by 68 points at the same ground in 2021, the last time they played in Geelong. It remains to be seen if the pink jumpers can buck the trend for the Suns and it's fair to say the bright strip deeply divided the opinions of those watching on. Among the more positive comments on X, one fan wrote: 'Suns pink jumper is so damn good man.' Another wrote: 'Love the Suns away guernsey.' A third wasn't quite so effusive, tweeting: 'Gotta say, don't absolutely hate the Suns kit.' A fourth felt the jumper was the key to the game, declaring: 'Gold Coast wearing the pink top. Give me Gold Cost by 75 points.' As always with social media, there were also plenty of people who weren't taking to the unmissable colour. 'Gold Coast giving me Inter Miami vibes and I hate it,' was one comment, referencing the pink of Lionel Messi's MLS club. 'Wow the Suns pink kit is a … choice,' said another. 'What in the actual holy hell are Gold Coast wearing??' was one of the stronger reactions. Another asked simply: 'How good would it be if the Suns Gold Coast just wore a football jumper with an actual Sun on it?' When they were asked what was wrong with the jumper, they replied: 'It's hideous. And last time I looked, their colours were red and yellow. Not taramasalata pink.' 'Taramasalata pink' is easily our favourite tweet of the day so far. Another fan was getting confused among the expansion clubs, tweeting: 'Every time the Suns get it I think it's the Giants.' Whatever your take on the uniform, the Suns arrived in Geelong in the unusual position of fourth on the AFL ladder and on track for their first ever finals appearance. If they can continue their good form under Damien Hardwick and break that September drought, fans surely won't care what colour they decide to wear on the field.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bailey Smith a late out for Cats' clash with Gold Coast
Geelong superstar Bailey Smith has been ruled out of his side's monster clash with Gold Coast because of hamstring tightness. Smith was put through a fitness test about 90 minutes before bounce-down at GMHBA Stadium on Saturday. But the gun midfielder did not do enough to convince Cats medical staff to give him the green light. Ted Clohesy has been called in as Smith's replacement. Gold Coast also made a late change, with Sean Lemmens replacing Ethan Read. The Suns clash will be the second game Smith has missed this season, after he sat out the round-two loss to St Kilda with a calf injury. The 24-year-old also revealed after the win over the Western Bulldogs a fortnight ago that he had been battling a shin issue. Smith said at the time he only played that night because he had been desperate to line up against his former team. Geelong (8-5) can leapfrog Gold Coast (8-3) into the top four if they win on Saturday. Patrick Dangerfield is back from a hamstring injury and Jack Martin will make his Cats debut against one of his former clubs. With Clohesy called up to replace Smith, veteran Mitch Duncan has been named as the substitute. Ben Ainsworth is the sub for Gold Coast.
Daily Mail
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Bailey Smith sparks controversy with 'nose beers' remark - as Geelong coach defends the superstar
Geelong star Bailey Smith has once again found himself at the centre of an AFL storm, this time raising eyebrows with a controversial Instagram post about the use of drugs. Smith relished the spotlight in his first encounter with the Bulldogs, starring in the Cats' 20.7 (127) to 16.17 (113) win at GMHBA Stadium on Thursday night. The 24-year-old was the centre of attention after lighting the fuse for the grudge match with several verbal barbs during the build-up. Smith stood up under pressure, tallying 33 disposals and six clearances as the Bulldogs mostly opted against trying to ruffle his feathers. After the game, Smith posted photos from the occasion to Instagram, but it was the comments section that has caught people's attention. One follower asked the Geelong midfielder if he'd had 'nose beers after the game mate?'. Nose beers is another name for the illicit drug cocaine. The comment was soon deleted, but not before many people had shared it online. Smith posted afterwards that he was 'taking the p*ss' telling sponsors 'I love you'. Cats coach Chris Scott has since defended Smith over the post. 'My take on it, not just in the footy world but in society, you can't have it both ways,' Scott told ABC radio. 'If you are going to embrace this idea that the new world is sharing everything online and bantering and having a bit of fun, but as soon as it goes over the line we all have conniptions. 'We all like comics that are on edge, but as soon as they say something that is confronting to someone's sensibility, we want to cancel them. 'I just think that's a loss of perspective, and with Bailey, remember he is 23. 'You've got to be careful that these things don't drift, and drift, and drift until it becomes something uncontrollable, but I think it's an example of keeping everything in perspective. 'It's a balance between, certainly not condoning behaviour, you prefer didn't happen, but also keeping it in perspective as much as possible.' Smith went on to say that he is OK with Smith to walk that 'edge'. 'I would much rather guys that are a little bit edgy but are really driven and competitive, as opposed to the straighty 180s who struggle a little bit more when the heat is really on,' he said.
Daily Mail
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Channel Seven star Kane Cornes lifts the lid on what was said when he had stunning sideline clash with AFL coach Luke Beveridge on live TV
Polarising Channel Seven footy commentator Kane Cornes has revealed what was said during his fiery exchange with Luke Beveridge on Thursday night in Geelong. Cornes already has a frosty relationship with the Western Bulldogs coach - and it is unlikely the high-profile duo will be sharing a beer anytime soon. Speaking on SEN Radio, Cornes felt you could have cut the tension with a knife pre-game at GMHBA Stadium. 'I was standing close to the boundary line getting ready to go on TV,' the outspoken commentator said on Friday. 'Out of the corner of my eye Luke Beveridge and the crew started walking towards me. I thought, 'Oh ok, this is going to be interesting, how do I play this?' 'So I just stood there and looked out and as he came closer to me he was staring at me strongly with a strong look on his face. That was from 10 or so metres away and as he got a little bit closer I looked back and I just said, 'Bevo', and nodded my head. "Clearly the relationship between myself and the Western Bulldogs isn't a strong one." Kane Cornes on his pre-game incident with Luke Beveridge | #AFLCatsDogs — 7AFL (@7AFL) May 22, 2025 Footy commentator Kane Cornes has revealed what was said during his fiery exchange with Luke Beveridge on Thursday night in Geelong 'The reaction (from Beveridge) was the reaction that you saw. I don't know if it's for me to share what he said. I'm happy to tell you exactly my part in this - other than to say 'Bevo', and nodded my head - it wasn't received well. 'It was something along the lines of, 'You've got the nerve to say that', and I just said, 'What, I can't say hello?'. Then he turned around again and started to go again and that's when he was dragged away. 'But it's ok, it's fine. He's combative, he protects his club, I've got no issue with it. 'We can have a bit of a laugh about it, I think.' Cornes added his decision to walk towards Beveridge wasn't confrontational. 'It was never going to become physical, he had his own security guards, he had a couple of club officials pulling him way,' he added. 'It was more just a flinch reaction or a shock reaction when you're not expecting something. Your initial instinct is to walk over and say, 'Did I hear that correctly?', type of thing. 'It was over pretty quickly.' Speaking post game after his side was beaten by 14 points, Beveridge dismissed any talk of tension. 'What incident?' he told reporters. 'Ultimately we come in here, we talk about the game. 'If you're trying to drum up any controversy, I don't think there was any. 'I've really got nothing to say. You're not going to get me to bite.' Recently Cornes claimed Beveridge was on a 'charm offensive' with certain members of the media, despite having a notoriously prickly relationship with reporters across his coaching career, which includes a premiership in 2016. It comes as Beveridge is looking to sign a new contract with the Bulldogs beyond this season. The Bulldogs have banned Cornes from their change rooms - and he is also on the nose at North Melbourne. It was recently felt at the Kangaroos that Cornes' analysis was 'personal and vindictive' towards players, notably young talents Harry Sheezel and Jy Simpkin. Cornes labelled Sheezel's playing style 'stat-padding' and felt Simpkin's on-field behaviour was unbecoming of a captain, suggesting he should focus more on his performances than 'mouthing off.' Kangaroos football boss Todd Viney condemned the remarks as bullying - and head coach Alastair Clarkson then refused to talk to Cornes ahead of a recent game against Essendon.
