Geelong midfielder Bailey Smith has copped a warning from the AFL after making a joke about post-match “nose beers” on social media.
Smith has been embroiled in controversy following his recent social media moves. You see, following Geelong’s match against the Western Bulldogs last Thursday, Smith went viral for responding to a fan who made a joke about sinking post-match “nose beers”.
“Nose beers after the game mate?” the fan asked with the AFL star replying, “Na bro, after the flag maybe tho”.
And for those who aren’t familiar with what “nose beers” are, it’s cheeky slang for cocaine… hence the nose thing.
Shortly after the comment went gangbusters on Instagram, AFL chief Andrew Dillon confirmed that he has issued a warning to Smith (and other players) for their social media conduct, stressing that they needed to be reminded that they’re not only professional athletes, but are also public role models.
“Our players need to be mindful, whether they’re in public or on social media, that they are in the public eye and they’re role models,” Dillon told journalists, per 9 Wide World Of Sports.
“And particularly with social media, they have to be mindful of how they use it. Whether they’re posting, liking, or messaging.”
“We absolutely don’t condone it, illicit drug use is a serious thing and shouldn’t be joked about, if he had his time again, I’m not sure he’d do it,” Dillon continued.
“The players are role models, and they need to remember that.
“The team is talking with Geelong, and they’re talking with Bailely, and we wouldn’t want to see it again.”
While Smith has seen a scathing response from the AFL, it appears that some folks have taken the comment as a joke. AFL’s Players’ Association chief Paul Marsh — who’s leaving the gig on Friday — said while he doesn’t condone the comment Smith made, he believes players should be able to express their personalities.
“Bailey’s a breath of fresh air, I think, in the industry. Everyone is hanging off everything he is doing and saying,” Marsh said, per the publication.
“It’s not ever something we want glorified, illicit drugs, it’s not something that necessarily sits comfortably, but there’s an element of him showing some personality.
“I took it as tongue in cheek. Maybe time again he wouldn’t do it, but I don’t think we want to take him down for it, a guy that’s showing a bit of personality at a time where I think it’s getting more difficult to show personality because of the criticism that flows.
“I’m certainly not condoning it, and if he had his time again, he probably wouldn’t go there, but it was probably more a tongue-in-cheek comment in slightly bad taste.”
Former AFL player Chris Scott also said that the sport is moving into a different age where athletes are also social media influencers.
“My take on it, not just in the footy world but in society, you can’t have it both ways,” Scott told ABC Sport.
“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 the 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 24.
“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 has not been sanctioned for his “nose beers” comment.
Now, before I chuck my two cents in, I do want to say that I do not condone the use of illicit substances. However, the joke was… a joke.
And as someone who’s chronically online, I absolutely froth when sports stars, influencers and celebrities dabble in a little chaotic posting. But I also totally understand why the AFL has an issue with it.
That’s why we have burner accounts *wink wink*.
