Marcus Bontempelli has hit back at Bailey Smith after the Geelong superstar made a comment about the Western Bulldogs' crowd size.
What happened?
The Bulldogs stormed to a 90-point win over Port Adelaide in front of 4814 fans at Ballarat's Mars Stadium.
Bailey Smith later compared this to Geelong's crowd of 82,154 fans at the MCG.
Why it matters for Marcus Bontempelli
Bontempelli responded to Smith's comments on Channel 7's Sunrise, saying it's nice to know they're still on Smith's mind.
He also made a joke about Smith having fewer people to flip the bird to in Ballarat.
What comes next?
The war of words sets the scene for an explosive first match against Smith's old club in Round 11.
The two sides will square off in a Thursday night blockbuster at GMHBA Stadium.
Bontempelli has continued his hot form after missing the first six matches of the season with a calf injury.
He tallied 23 touches and three goals, as well as eight tackles, in the 90-point win over the Power.
Smith is arguably in the best form of his career at the Cats, averaging a career-best 30 disposals this season.
He had 34 disposals and a goal on Saturday night.
Bontempelli's comments have added fuel to the fire ahead of the Round 11 match.
The Western Bulldogs captain is looking forward to the match, saying it will be a great spectacle.
Smith has already been fined twice this season for flipping the bird to fans.
The first incident came after Geelong's win over Adelaide, and the second after a fiery confrontation with Hawk star Jarman Impey.
Bontempelli's response to Smith's comments has sparked a lot of interest in the upcoming match.
The two teams will face off on a Thursday night, with the match broadcast live and free on Channel 7 and 7plus Sport.