Abbey Holmes’ defiant act after Kissgate controversy with AFL star Lachie Neale: ‘She’s out here kissing everybody now’

Abbey Holmes has doubled down on the Lachie Neale Kissgate scandal in the wake of Friday night’s match between Carlton and Geelong.

The AFL commentator had previously come under fire for a seemingly innocent kiss on the cheek she shared with close friend and Brisbane Lion Lachie Neale following an on-field interview.

Now, in a clear message to her opponents, Holmes shared a similar kiss with Carlton star Tom De Koning after turning in the match of the season for the Blues.

“I want to ask you about your form at the moment, career best, there’s no doubt about that,” Holmes told De Koning.

“25 disposals, 20 contested possessions, another seven disposals, how confident are you in what you can do here on matchday?”

Holmes interviewed Tom De Koning after the Carlton star played his best game of the season

De Koning shared a kiss on the cheek and a big hug on Friday evening after the interview

The King replied: ‘A lot. I now know my role from start to finish and I have the trust of my teammates, and I have the utmost confidence in them to fulfill their role, so that helps me a lot.

“I’m really enjoying my footy at the moment.”

When the interview ended, De Koning then leaned in for a kiss on the cheek and a warm embrace.

“Tdk and Abbey Holmes just kissed, probably dating?” one fan asked sarcastically.

“Abbey Holmes single-handedly brings back the kiss hello,” another posted.

“Abbey Holmes hands out the ‘don’t’ arguments to the feminists,” another added.

To really drive the point home, Holmes also shared a kiss with forward Charlie Curnow and Alex Cincotta.

“Abbey Holmes is just out here kissing everyone,” one follower posted with the hashtag #goodonher.

“Abbey Holmes makes sure everyone gets a kiss after the game,” another posted with a skull emoji.

Holmes also interviewed Carlton stars Charlie Curnow and Alex Cincotta and also shared a kiss on the cheek and hugs with them

There was much more commentary on Holmes on social media after Friday night’s clash

This polite kiss between friends sparked the controversy that has been raging online ever since

The TV presenter had previously shared a quick kiss on the cheek with two-time Brownlow medalist Neale after interviewing him post-match when the Lions played the Bulldogs in round 13.

The pair, friends off the field, sparked a debate over whether the kiss was appropriate, with some commentators claiming it crossed a line.

Holmes, a former AFLW player, responded by describing the reaction as “really disturbing”.

“Jules Neale… messaged me this morning saying, ‘I hope you’re doing well – this is ridiculous,'” Holmes said at the time.

After causing controversy with the post-match kiss, Holmes sent her fans a heartfelt message on social media this week.

‘Always focused. Thanks for the love this week, folks. I heard you,” she posted on Instagram.

Carlton defeated Geelong 21.12 (138) to 11.9 (75) in the Friday night match, securing second place on the AFL ladder

Carlton dominated Geelong in a disastrous night for the Cats, with Tom Hawkins injured and Patrick Dangerfield dealing with match judgment issues.

Carlton won by 63 points, with a score of 21.12 (138) to 11.9 (75), which was the highest score of the season and the highest against Geelong since the 1995 grand final.

Hawkins, playing his 359th game, has scored just three disposals against Carlton’s main defender Jacob Weitering and has scored just 15 goals in 12 games this season.

He injured himself by pushing off his left foot in the third quarter, causing him to leave the field in distress and was later seen on crutches.

“I can’t say the news is good news, but I can’t say it’s bad news either,” Cats coach Chris Scott said.

“It’s the midfoot, he’s had a problem with his toe… it’s not the same injury. The experts we have don’t know, so I certainly have nothing more to add.’