Geelong coach Chris Scott has spoken on an eyebrow-raising comment made by star Cat Bailey Smith on social media.
Smith replied to a comment on Instagram that read "Nose beers after the game mate?", to which Smith responded "Na bro, after the flag maybe tho" on Thursday night.
The Cats were made aware of Smith's comment, with his coach stressing the need for critics to understand the new age of social media and how players express themselves.
"My take on it, not just in the footy world but in society, is you can't have it both ways," Scott told ABC Sport on Saturday.
"If you're 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 sort of edges over that line, we all have conniptions.
"We see this in the comedy world as well. We all like comics that are on 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's 23. You've got to be careful these things don't drift and drift and drift until it becomes something uncontrollable, but I think it's an example of just keeping everything in perspective.
"The other point I would make is, from what I'm told, players cop so much abuse. The moment they flip the bird back, or oush back on social media, they get criticised for it.
"It's a balance between not condoning behaviour that you prefer didn't happen and keeping it in perspective as much as possible."
In June 2022, Smith was suspended for two matches for 'conduct unbecoming' after he admitted to using an illicit substance.
The ban came after content of Smith with the illicit substance surfaced on social media, sparking an AFL investigation.
Smith has been a headline act in his first season with the Cats this year, shooting into Brownlow contention are the first 11 rounds.
His starring form has also come with a quartet of charges from the Match Review Officer, with Smith fined in successive weeks for making an 'obscene gesture'.
A fourth fine from Thursday's win over his old club, the Western Bulldogs, for making careless contact with an umpire is set to add to his $4750 in paid fines this year.
