Generalised polygons admitting a point-primitive almost simple group of Suzuki or Ree type

Let $G$ be a collineation group of a thick finite generalised hexagon or generalised octagon $\mathrm{\Gamma }$. If $G$ acts primitively on the points of $\mathrm{\Gamma }$, then a recent result of Bamberg et al. shows that $G$ must be an almost simple group of Lie type. We show that, furthermore, the minimal normal subgroup $S$ of $G$ cannot be a Suzuki group or a Ree group of type ${}^2{\text{G}}_2$, and that if $S$ is a Ree group of type ${}^2{\text{F}}_4$, then $\mathrm{\Gamma }$ is (up to point–line duality) the classical Ree–Tits generalised octagon.