AFL 'not thrilled' with Cats' Mad Monday behaviour, club to respond

THE AFL has expressed its displeasure with Geelong players' behaviour during the Cats' post-season celebrations, including Instagram posts made by star Bailey Smith, on Monday after their Grand Final loss to Brisbane.

Smith, who finished third in this year's Brownlow Medal, posted several photos from the Cats' 'Mad Monday' party. It included one of himself and skipper Patrick Dangerfield, dressed in cowboy outfits and embracing in a pose reminiscent of the film Brokeback Mountain, a love story about two gay cowboys in America in the mid-20th century.

"This is what losing a granny does to ya," he captioned the photo.

Geelong is expected to release its response on Wednesday afternoon.

Cats midfielder Max Holmes dressed up as veteran journalist Caroline Wilson, while Sam De Koning and Ollie Dempsey poked fun at rumours that the Cats were using third-party deals via long-time club sponsor Cotton On to pay their players. The pair arrived in an Aston Martin luxury sports car with a fake 'Cotton On' numberplate, and carrying brown paper bags.

The AFL's executive general manager of football performance, Greg Swann, said he had spoken to Geelong CEO Steve Hocking and the Cats were dealing with the matter.

"We think the clubs are the best people to deal with it, they’re their players. We're not thrilled, obviously, with what happened, and nor are Geelong, so they're going to take some steps. I think there'll be something coming out this afternoon around that.

"We pushed it down to them to deal with… they already were (doing something), which was good."

Swann also foreshadowed a shift in approach to player behaviour matters at AFL HQ, saying he believed that the clubs were often best positioned to determine appropriate penalties, if required.

"I think these are club issues, I’m not sure why the AFL - we will step in if we have to, but let the clubs do it," he said.

More to come

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