It was the story that had even the most prudish and traditional of AFL fans whispering into their iPhones, ‘Hey Siri – who is Tammy Hembrow?’
Our bombshell photos of the perky Instagram star holding hands with long-haired Geelong golden boy Bailey Smith just weeks after splitting from her husband Matt Zukowski had everyone in the footy world talking.
And as the dust settles on our exclusive, we can reveal this tale has a few twists – namely a compelling theory about a scorned lover’s revenge.
Oh, and we’ve got our hands on a brand-new photo that reveals just how frisky these two horndogs got during their FIFO fling on the Gold Coast last weekend.
The saga began on Saturday when social media siren Hembrow, 31, stepped out with Cats midfielder Smith, 24, at the swanky Asian fusion restaurant Rick Shores at Burleigh Heads.
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We’ve got our hands on a brand-new photo that reveals just how frisky Tammy Hembrow and Bailey Smith got during their FIFO fling on the Gold Coast last weekend. Spare a thought for the poor bloke on the right trying to enjoy his pub steak while his girlfriend snapped a pic…
The pair were anything but discreet – to the delight of our photographer, who caught them locking fingers as they strolled down the street following a romantic meal.
Smith, ever the charmer, even flipped the bird when he spied the snapper.
Hours after the pics became the top story on our website, we obtained another photo of the couple kissing at a different restaurant in front of stunned onlookers.
Did we mention they weren’t being discreet?
By this time, their interstate hook-up had blown up. Even Karl Stefanovic and Sarah Abo were discussing the spicy topic on the Today show, with the latter joking Tammy and Bailey ‘look like twins’ due to their long hair.
Meanwhile, word on the grapevine in Melbourne and Geelong is that the ‘wannabe WAGs’ – those ambitious young models, students and yogis who are desperate to bag a footballer – are seething with jealousy.
The general consensus in the group chats, we hear, is: ‘Why… her?’
Indeed, their romance isn’t just perplexing because of their age gap – which is seven years, by the way – but the fact that Tammy is a newly separated mother-of-three.
Two months after her break-up with Love Island star Matt Zukowski, the 31–year–old fitness mogul was spotted cosying up to Smith during a lunch date on the Gold Coast on Saturday
That same day, Hembrow shared a gallery of sultry snaps on Instagram while clad in sheer lingerie. She was posing on her bed, which looked like it had been given a thrashing
The feeling is that Smith has broken an unwritten code of footy players and WAGs by sliding into the DMs of an older woman from a non-AFL state.
Instead, sayeth the gossips, he ought to be seen with a Melbourne girl signed to Chadwick Models or Vivien’s. At the very least, he could have picked up a young lady off Chapel Street.
Equally surprising is the fact that Smith flew out to see Hembrow, rather than flying her into Victoria in the typical footy player style.
It’s a sign Smith is already smitten.
Meanwhile, speculation is rife about why Hembrow – who has been linked to influencers, rappers, reality stars and a former Ironman in the past – took a shine to Smith to begin with.
One way of looking at it is… it’s obvious – he’s the hottest player in the AFL.
And his career is soaring since being drafted to Geelong – a club known for signing talented livewires who have the skills to be great but may need their personal lives reining in a bit.
But another way to view the romance is that Hembrow may have made a tactical move – because Smith is connected to two of her most recent exes.
Tammy’s former fiancé Matt Poole, with whom she shares three-year-old daughter Posy, shares an orbit with Smith thanks to their mutual friend Matt Bevilacqua.
Poole and Bevilacqua are both Ironman champions, and often like Smith’s Instagram posts.
Burleigh Heads also happens to be one of Poole’s regular hangouts. In fact, he co-owns a restaurant on James Street, Maman Bar & Kitchen.
Is it merely a coincidence that she chose Burleigh for her date with Smith that was so conveniently rumbled by the paparazzi?
And then there’s her most recent ex, Matt Zukowski, to whom she is (presumably) still legally married after announcing their separation just seven weeks ago.
Poor Zuk is a huge AFL fan. He doesn’t barrack for the Cats, but it’s still got to hurt.
As one Reddit user succinctly put it: ‘Seeing her with someone as high-profile and popular as Smith? That’s gonna sting.
‘Not just because of the fame and social rank gap, but because [Zukowski] could never measure up in that arena.’
Taking down two exes with one pap walk? A stroke of genius.
So what’s next for Hembrow and Smith?
Maybe it’s just a fun fling. Maybe Hembrow is hoping to score a stepfather of three in the Geelong young gun. Who knows?
But a picture tells a thousand words – and that shot of them chewing each other’s faces off while a poor bloke tries to enjoy his pub steak really says it all.
Will we see Hembrow walk the red carpet at the Brownlow next month? Stranger things have happened in footy…
