Tomas Bugg hit on Callum Mills not the first time he’s angered Sydney Swans
SYDNEY players were seething after Tom Bugg floored Callum Mills, and his history against the Swans — and a few other clubs — didn’t help. BUGG RAP SHEET
Melbourne
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SYDNEY players were seething after Tom Bugg floored Callum Mills — and his history against the Swans didn’t help.
The AFL’s newest serial pest has made a habit of getting under opponents’ skins in his 92-game career.
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And he seems to save particular venom for Sydney.
Starting his career at GWS, Bugg played in the Giants’ first AFL game against the Swans in 2012.
A year later he faced the Swans again in their first game since an incredible win in the 2012 Grand Final.
One Swan who didn’t play in the flag was Ben McGlynn, who missed the decider after tearing his hamstring in the qualifying final. The popular and unlucky McGlynn also missed a premiership as a Hawthorn player in 2008 when he was out with a knee injury.
During the 2013 encounter, Bugg sought out McGlynn and quipped “Where is your premiership medallion?”
In 2015 Bugg was still playing at the Giants when he had another run-in with the Swans, his late tackle slamming Isaac Heeney into the goalpost (no one suggested that was deliberate).
Two weeks ago Bugg was in the headlines for a pre-match dig at Bulldogs defender Jason Johannisen on Instagram.
During the game Bugg further antagonised the Dogs by milking a free kick from Easton Wood after a goal had been kicked, earning a second shot at goal.
His infamy divided fans and experts and resulted in a mural in Hosier Lane.
After being traded to Melbourne at the end of 2015 — Bugg arrived at the Dees along with pick seven in return for picks 10, 43 and 64 — he was public enemy No. 1 again in the first Anzac Day eve clash against Richmond.
Leaping over Bachar Houli, Bugg ran into an open goal at the Punt Rd end and let the Tigers faithful behind the big sticks know about it.
Bugg pointed to the crowd, slammed it home and then gave an audacious ‘shush’ to finish it off.
In a more serious incident, Bugg harassed Jack Riewoldt as he was trying to get off the field with an ankle injury — an incident for which he was fined $1000.
“When I watch it back now, I’m definitely remorseful,” Bugg said at the time. “It actually makes me cringe when I watch the footage. At the time I didn’t really think of the consequences and what would come from it.”
He seems to have an issue with the Riewoldt family, flattening Nick Riewoldt in an ugly incident against the Saints in 2015.
Bugg crashed into the unsuspecting Riewoldt from behind, with St Kilda coach Alan Richardson labelling the act “poor” if Bugg made a beeline for the Saints skipper.
The match review panel cleared him in that incident and Bugg said he texted the Saints captain after the game and “didn’t may much attention to what we being said in the media.”
“He hasn’t got back to me,” Bugg told the AFL website.
It seems he isn’t on the contact list of most opposition players.
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