Geelong senior coach Chris Scott has admitted that he and Bailey Smith overreacted to a string of media incidents involving the pair in recent weeks, but asserted that Smith's outburst at a female photographer last Wednesday at a vision opportunity during training was due to tension that had been building from a "betrayal" between the media and the club earlier in the season.
In early August, an AFL media team broadcast audio of a conversation between Scott and Smith during a Geelong training session, sharing the video clip with subtitles that claimed the superstar recruit as saying: "This isn't even hammy, I felt it Friday and during the game" while tapping his hamstring.
Outlets ran with the story, speculating on Smith's health status ahead of Geelong's Round 21 clash with Port Adelaide, which Scott said was "disrespectful" toward Smith and has since heightened tensions between the midfielder and the media during vision opportunities.
However, Scott told media on Thursday that the incidents between him and a junior AFL media staff member and Smith with the photographer were regrettable, and the initial incident of concern was not an excuse for their actions.
"Of course [they're regrettable incidents]," Scott said.
"It's a tense time of year, but that's the price of admission. I'd reiterate that, if you're in this game, you're going to have periods of tension. Saying that 'it was a highly charged, tense environment so that it makes okay that I responded in a way I shouldn't have'... is not an excuse."
However, Scott further highlighted Smith's concerns, which were ignited by the covert recording incident in August, as being a problem he and the Cats will look to address with the AFL moving forward.
"We knew that we had this contradiction [with Smith]; he's a highly marketable public person who puts a lot of it out there but is intensely personal about some issues," Scott said.
"I take a different approach to the one he does; I'm intensely private about it all, except the stuff I'm contractually obliged to talk about. He's a bit different.
"So, that was always going to be a challenge, but one that we were aware of and he took on.
"It went to another level when he was covertly recorded. It was relayed to him that it was a mistake, but not only did they choose to use it, but they put subtitles underneath it and actually extrapolated some of what was said and got it wrong.
"It doesn't serve anyone to take that comment as a defence [for Smith's outburst], it's not intended to be a defence... but I overreacted a little bit in the moment because I thought that was a real betrayal.
"I thought we had an implied deal. You guys come in, and we show you as much as we can. I don't think that extends to filming players when they're in what they consider to be compromised positions [getting treatment]."
Despite the incident leaving the Brownlow favourite on edge, Scott conceded that it's unlikely that sort of incident would take place again and has not permanently ruined his relationship with the media.
"Given both of us probably overreacted to that a little bit, when you take a step back, you say, 'When was the last time that happened?' I can't remember it happening, and it's unlikely to happen again," Scott said.
"With Bailey and the media, it's 100% salvageable. I think it's more a misunderstanding from his part than anything nefarious."
