UPDATE: Western Bulldogs star Bailey Smith has been offered a two-match suspension for his headbutt on Geelong defender Zach Tuohy.
The AFL’s match review officer, Michael Christian, deemed the incident to be intentional with high contact and medium impact.
The incident occurred at the end of the third quarter of the Bulldogs’ 13-point loss to the Cats on Friday night, with Smith and Tuohy bumping heads and exchanging words before the 21-year-old Bulldog lashed out with a headbutt.
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Smith was reported immediately after the incident, while Tuohy was left with a clear gash to his forehead.
It was a moment that stunned Demons legend Garry Lyon in the aftermath.
“We’re shaking our heads at the moment. We can’t believe what we’ve seen,” said Garry Lyon on Fox Footy.
“It’s so out of character for a young man who is almost the highest-profile footy player in the competition.
“If you reckon it’s not going to be a story, stand by.”
Meanwhile, Lions legend Jonathan Brown said Smith’s headbutt was worse than Lance Franklin’s one-match ban for striking Richmond’s Trent Cotchin.
“Absolute brain snap. The old Liverpool kiss. We don’t see it very often,” Brown said.
“I can’t think of any teammates that have done it. costly because he was fantastic in that quarter Bailey Smith with his work rate. What’s the AFL going to say about that? They called Buddy Franklin’s act cowardly, that’s worse.”
The AFL did apologise to Franklin after his actions were described as “cowardly” when at the tribunal hearing on Wednesday night.
While Smith and Tuohy will await the Match Review Officer’s findings, they both ended their night with a friendly embrace after the final siren, appearing to bury the hatchet.
“Emotions were obviously getting the better of both of us,” Tuohy said after the game.
“I was pulling and dragging at him as much as he was me so there was not much in it. When the game gets so close and given we had such a big lead cut back to a small margin, emotions get high so there was all love at the end.”
Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge was asked about the incident but said he was yet to see the vision and speak to Smith.
“I’m aware something’s happened, but I’ve got no detail on it and I haven’t seen it,” Beveridge said.
“I haven’t spoken to him. I’ve spoken to the group but I haven’t spoken to any individuals.
“If there’s something that’s happened, I will be briefed on it at some point.”
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