‘Shame on you’: AFL star slams Hawthorn fans for booing Isaac Smith

A Geelong hero has taken aim at parochial Hawthorn fans after they booed Isaac Smith every time he touched the ball at the MCG.

Isaac Smith was in the firing line.

Footy fans were shut out of the MCG last season but they’re making their voices heard after being allowed back in 2021.

It didn’t take Hawthorn supporters long to get stuck into Isaac Smith in his first appearance against his old team as it lost to Geelong by five points in an Easter Monday blockbuster.

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A three-time premiership winner with the Hawks, Smith played more than 200 games for the club across a decade but made the move to Geelong in the off-season.

Pre-match there was plenty of talk about the Hawks targeting their old teammate but it was Smith who landed the first blow just a couple of minutes into the first quarter.

He got his first touch near defensive 50 and Hawthorn fans, as expected, provided the obligatory booing. Smith regained possession on the wing later in the chain — prompting more boos — but it didn’t faze him, as the 32-year-old hit Tom Hawkins with a beautiful left-foot pass.

Hawkins marked near the boundary line and converted for Geelong’s opening goal to give the Cats first blood and help settle any nerves Smith may have been nursing in the early stages of the grudge match.

Smith found the Sherrin a few minutes later less than 50m from Geelong’s goal and Hawthorn fanatics were in full voice again, but the booing did nothing to halt the Cats’ momentum as they kicked three goals inside the first eight minutes.

Footy writer Lachie Young tweeted: “Hawks fans might lose their voice if they keep booing Isaac Smith every time he touches the ball.”

Former Geelong player Paul Chapman wasn’t impressed by the parochial Hawthorn fans.

“Hawthorn supporterrs — shame on you. A 3 time premiership player goes to another club and you boo him,” Chapman tweeted. “Thank you Geelong supporters for being more understanding.

“Love you guys — respect.”

Chapman added the Hawks had a “joke supporter base”, posting five thumbs down emojis.

Smith had the last laugh though as Geelong held on for a 10.9 (69) to 9.10 (64) win.

Smith is rocking a new look in 2021.

Hawthorn sharpshooter Luke Breust poured fuel on the fire last week when he said there would be no love lost between his teammates and Smith, who was warned to expect some extra attention on Monday afternoon.

“Don’t you worry, there will certainly be a few boys lining up to get him. There will be a fair bit of banter on the field and it will certainly be fun out there,” Breust said.

“I don’t think there’ll be any hugs or anything from us. At the end of the day, we’re running out against what is now an opposition player. It can be all smiles and fun and games, but once you cross that line it’s game on again.

“If he’s in the road then I’m sure the boys will be pretty happy to clean him up.

“We’ll see how it goes, but he’s going to have his cheeky little grin out there and he’ll certainly be throwing a bit our way, so it will be interesting.”

Originally published as ‘Shame on you’: AFL star slams Hawthorn fans for booing Isaac Smith