FROM THE PRESS BOX –
with Melanie Whelan
HARD to believe Isaac Smith was running around in the maroon and gold at City Oval five years ago, happy to have found his niche as an outside running player building on the hard work the likes of Matthew Pitt, Jarrod Edwards and Brendan Peace were serving up in the engine room.
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Smith will play his 100th AFL game for Hawthorn against Sydney Swans on Saturday night.
His pathway was a relatively new concept in AFL ranks at the time. Clubs were broadening their recruiting methods when new franchises Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney were dominating draft picks. Ready-made players like James Podsiadly and Michael Barlow were unearthed in the Victorian Football League.
Smith took a pathway long-promoted by this city’s VFL club North Ballarat Roosters – come to Ballarat to study and push you game to the highest level football you can. His is a true success story of this city’s football development.
The twist in Smith’s tale was he was from Cootamundra in southern New South Wales, moving to Ballarat in 2008 for university and a chance to play the game he loved where the game was greatly loved.
Redan teammates said Smith would talk about his hero Chris Judd all the time. Redan coaches said Smith lapped up a chance to learn and better his athletic style and skill on the field.
Smith started to demand attention in the Lions’ 2009 BFL premiership season. By mid-2010 he was starring and his rise through the ranks was rapid – BFL interleague, Australian Country Football Championships and, at the Lions’ urging, taking a chance with the Roosters in the VFL. Smith was promoted to the Roosters’ senior after three VFL reserves games. He finished the season a VFL premiership player.
One year later, Smith was playing in the Hawks’ AFL preliminary final. He is now a dual Hawthorn premiership player and keenly sought player for media comment.
Through the whole rapid rise, Smith has taken each new challenge in his stride and with great personality.
And he has maintained close ties to where his journey took off in Ballarat, at City Oval.
Interestingly, Smith will play his AFL milestone game against a team featuring another decorated Ballarat football export. Adam Goodes, a Horsham boy drafted from the Rebels, has a milestone of his own on Saturday.
Goodes will move to equal ninth on the all-time AFL/VFL games record list, drawing level with retired Western Bulldogs’ great Brad Johnson’s 364 matches. His path was different to Smith but his aim the same – to play the highest level he could.