AFL MRO, tribunal news: Bailey Smith cops two-week ban for Zach Tuohy headbutt
Bailey Smith has spoken about his shock headbutt to Geelong star Zac Tuohy as the Bulldogs make a decision on whether to challenge his two-match ban.
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Western Bulldogs star Bailey Smith will miss games against GWS and Hawthorn after the club accepted a two-week suspension for headbutting.
Smith admitted on Monday he let his emotions get the better of him after he reacted to Zach Tuohy in a scuffle by headbutting him, leaving a visible red mark.
“I’m disappointed to be missing the next two matches, and regret that I won’t be able to help my teammates on the field during that period,” Smith said.
“I understand what happened was outside of what’s expected of AFL players. Unfortunately, I let my emotions get the better of me, which is out of character for me.
“I am determined to come back in a couple of weeks to continue giving 100 per cent for my teammates and the club.”
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The Bulldogs spent the weekend assessing their chances of a successful appeal on Smith’s headbutting charge.
Tuohy was fined for instigating the exchange after he appeared to make minor contact with his own head but Smith’s response was more forceful.
Tuohy said there was little contact in a post-match interview on Fox Footy but a red mark on his head made clear there was enough force to sustain a report.
“I think I was pulling and dragging at him as much as he was me, so there’s not much in it. It’s a rite of passage back home every weekend,” Tuohy said.
The Dogs have a bye before clashes against GWS and Hawthorn, so Smith won’t be available until round 16.
After the bye the Dogs will welcome back star forward Josh Bruce in the June 17 Friday night VFL clash against Carlton.
Bruce said on Friday night he was overcome with emotion after testing last week finally cleared him to emerge from the rehab group after a round 21 ACL tear.
The Dogs recorded no fresh injuries from their loss to Geelong, with Luke Beveridge hopeful the break would give Marcus Bontempelli time to overcome a shoulder injury he has carried in early rounds.
Toby McLean (ACL tear) and Mitch Hannan (concussion issues) are expected to return in the fortnight after the bye, with Lachie Hunter (personal issues) also likely to be back at the club in coming weeks.
Smith learns fate after headbutt
—Chris Cavanagh
Western Bulldogs star Bailey Smith is set to miss his side’s must-win matches against Greater Western Sydney and Hawthorn after being slapped with a two-match suspension for headbutting.
Smith was caught on camera headbutting Geelong’s Zach Tuohy during a heated scuffle on Friday night.
The incident, which occurred during the three-quarter-time break, was assessed by AFL match review officer Michael Christian as intentional conduct, medium impact and high contact.
Smith is able to accept a two-match sanction with an early guilty plea.
The headbutt left Tuohy with a noticeable red mark on his forehead, although the Cats’ defender attempted to laugh off the incident after the match and he and Smith embraced following the final siren.
“Emotions were obviously getting the better of both of us,” Tuohy said.
“There’s not much in it. It was all love in the end.”
If the Bulldogs decide not to challenge the ban, Smith would miss key games against the Giants and Hawks after his club’s Round 13 bye next weekend.
The Bulldogs – who are just hanging onto a top-eight spot – desperately need to bank wins in those matches ahead of a tough run games in the back end of the season.
Brisbane champion Jonathan Brown said on Friday night that it was an “absolute brain snap” from Smith and the incident was “worse” than Sydney star Lance Franklin’s strike on Richmond’s Trent Cotchin which attracted a one-game suspension the previous week.
Tuohy not only left the scuffle with a mark on his forehead but also left it $1000 lighter in the hip-pocket after being charged by the MRO with “Other Misconduct” over his involvement.
If accepted by the Bulldogs, It would be the first suspension of Smith’s four-season career in the AFL.
The 21-year-old has missed just two games through injury and illness since debuting in Round 1, 2019.
Smith has played 10 matches this season and ranks elite for disposals (31.6 a game), metres gained (594m per game) and score involvements (7.6 per game).
The Bulldogs sit 6-6 after Friday night’s 13-point loss to the Cats.
AFL GREAT: IF BUDDY WAS ‘COWARDLY’, WHAT WAS SMITH?
Western Bulldogs star Bailey Smith faces a stint on the sidelines after being reported for headbutting in a moment of madness during Friday night’s 13-point loss to Geelong.
Smith was involved in a heated exchange with Geelong’s Zach Tuohy during the three-quarter-time break at Marvel Stadium, which escalated to the Bulldogs wingman being put in the book by field umpire Andrew Stephens.
Tuohy clutched his head after Smith’s headbutt appeared to make contact with his forehead.
The Cats backman was sporting a noticeable red bump on his head after the exchange, which followed a brief physical tussle between the pair.
Tuohy and Smith embraced after the final siren in a sign of no hard feelings.
“Emotions were obviously getting the better of both of us,” Tuohy said of the incident.
“There’s not much in it. It was all love in the end.”
Later in a post-match interview with Seven’s Brian Taylor, the defender played down the mark on his forehead even further when he claimed he “just scratched my head on the grass”.
Smith faces a one-week ban if the headbutt is classified as intentional, low impact and high contact by AFL match review officer Michael Christian.
A grading of medium impact could see Smith miss two matches.
Fremantle forward Michael Walters had a one-match ban overturned for headbutting Melbourne’s Jay Lockhart overturned by the AFL tribunal in 2019, with the Dockers successfully arguing the light contact made was incidental rather than intentional.
However, the Bulldogs would struggle to mount a similar case for Smith.
Brisbane champion Jonathan Brown said the headbutt was an unusual sight in the modern game.
“Absolute brain snap,” Brown said on Fox Footy.
“The old Liverpool kiss. We don’t see it very often. I can’t think of any teammates that have done it.
“What’s the AFL going to say about that? They called Buddy Franklin’s act cowardly. Jeez, that’s worse.”
Luke Beveridge’s side has a bye next week, before games against Greater Western Sydney and Hawthorn kick off a big back half of the season.
Smith, who missed the previous week’s win over West Coast through illness, had played a key role in getting his side back in the game after Geelong opened up a 40-point lead early in the second quarter.
What the hell was he thinking?
— Glenn McFarlane (@MaccaHeraldSun) June 3, 2022
3-4 weeks for Bailey Smith, you can’t go head butting people.
— Dale Perkins (@perko1313) June 3, 2022
Bailey Smith is getting weeks! That was filth.
— Corey Norris (@coreynorris9) June 3, 2022
Bailey Smith reported for headbutting.
— Fox Footy (@FOXFOOTY) June 3, 2022
Tensions HIGH at 3QT 🤯
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The 21-year-old logged 15 disposals across the second and third quarters of the match, after managing just two touches in the opening term.
He has averaged 31.6 disposals across his 10 matches this season.
Geelong lost key defender Tom Stewart to a concussion during the second term, when he collided with Smith’s shoulder as he attempted to lay a tackle.
However, Stewart will be out of the AFL’s 12-day concussion protocols in time for the Cats’ next match against West Coast in Round 14, given the side has a bye next week.
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