Marcus Bontempelli fires back at Bailey Smith’s sledge about the Bulldogs playing in Ballarat

A genuine grudge match is coming in round 11, and the angst between Bailey Smith and his former teammates goes well beyond the Geelong star’s recent comments about them, writes JON RALPH.

Bailey Smith has set the scene for a genuine grudge match in round 11 with his mocking sledge to his old club with his ex-teammates still furious about the manner of his departure.

Marcus Bontempelli bit back on Sunday in an interview but while he was relatively measured the senior Dogs players are understood to be no great fans of the talented midfielder.

They believed that the manner in which he checked out of the Dogs in his final season was unprofessional and affected their relationship with him.

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Bad blood between former teammates? Picture: Gary Day/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Smith was rehabilitating a torn ACL but posted regularly on social media from his mid-season European holiday and did not attend one of the club’s Ballarat clashes while he working on his rehab.

He attended the Geelong preliminary final with sidelined Geelong players and friends from sponsor Cotton On and did not attend the Dogs best-and-fairest on the same day as he requested a trade to Geelong.

He also said he had “outgrown” Whitten Oval in one of his few explanations for his departure.

Smith has been a lightning rod for criticism as a new Geelong addition, adding more fuel to the fire ahead of that clash against his old side.

He said of playing in front of a packed MCG on Saturday night: “You are not getting that at Ballarat”.

Those close to Smith believe he simply doesn’t have a filter, which has seen him flipping the bird in three separate episodes this season and giving a series of eyebrow-raising quotes in interviews.

Bulldogs captain Bontempelli told Seven on Sunday: “It’s nice to know we’re still on Bailey’s mind. You know, he’s still thinking about us even at another team. And, you know, in the end, there’s probably a few less people down in Ballarat for him to flip the bird to. So maybe that’s why he’s a little bit disappointed.”

It will be a genuine blockbuster on the Thursday night of round 11 given the continuing bad blood.

Some Dogs figures have wondered out loud if Smith would find a way to sidestep that clash against his former club but he is in red-hot form and appears keen to play.

He responded to the furore on Sunday by posting a chain of fishing emojis alongside a photo of himself in playing kit with the location stamp of the Salty Dog Cafe in Torquay, near his new multimillion-dollar property.

Smith said in Grand Final week that he still loved the Dogs.

“But there’s a level of when you outgrow a place, or you just need a fresh change for whatever reason. I still love them, they’re still my mates. I won’t get too deep into it.

“I feel like I’d be doing myself a disservice for the player I want to become and the person I want to become by staying in the same environment but we’ll see.”

WAR OF WORDS ERUPTS AS BONT FIRES BACK AT SMITH’S BALLARAT SLEDGE

Geelong star Bailey Smith has given his old club the Western Bulldogs a cheeky drive-by, declaring after his side’s MCG blockbuster win over Collingwood that “you are not getting that at Ballarat”.

Smith was one of Geelong’s best in a pulsating thriller in front of 82,514 fans at the home of footy.

The Dogs played earlier in the day at Ballarat, smashing Port Adelaide in front of 4814 fans, due to construction works at Mars Stadium.

When asked on Fox Footy about claiming a big win over Collingwood at the ‘G, Smith said: “(It is) beautiful mate, you are not getting that at Ballarat”.

Marcus Bontempelli has hit back at Bailey Smith. Picture: Morgan Hancock/Getty Images

The former Dog appears to be loving being a Cat. Picture: Michael Klein

Western Bulldogs skipper and Smith’s former teammate Marcus Bontempelli fired back at the Cat on Sunday morning.

“It’s nice to know we’re still on Bailey’s mind. You know, he’s still thinking about us even at another team. And, you know, in the end, there’s probably a few less people down in Ballarat for him to flip the bird to,” Bontempelli said.

“So maybe that’s why he’s a little bit disappointed.”

The Cats and Bulldogs will clash for the first time since Smith’s exit in a marquee Thursday night blockbuster to kick off Round 11.

It’s not the first time Smith has courted trouble with his cheeky nature so far this year.

He was fined $1000 for giving an Adelaide fan a dual rude finger salute during Gather Round, and then again copped the same penalty for giving Hawthorn fans the bird on Easter Monday.

His coach Chris Scott has stood by the star recruit and said he doesn’t agree with the AFL fining players for interactions like that.

Smith said in that post-match interview that he appreciated Geelong’s warmth since he joined the club in a trade in the post-season.

“(I am) Very grateful to be where I am, they have welcomed me with open arms,” he said.

“I am forever in debt to this club so I will just keep working my arse off to repay them and I am doing what I love doing, that is competing. Regardless of whether we win, lose or draw I am just happy so I can’t really lose.”

Originally published as Marcus Bontempelli fires back at Bailey Smith’s sledge about the Bulldogs playing in Ballarat