The Cats recruit has been one of the key drivers for the club as it chases its first premiership since 2011, as it prepares for a huge Friday night clash with second-placed Western Bulldogs.

Smith can see a lot of similarities with the Hawthorn team which took all before them winning triple premierships in 2013-15.

"I think the maturity of the group is one and that certainly helps us on the weekend," he said. "

You can do a hell of a lot of things, but you also need the star power on the field and we're fortunate enough that we've been able to win games without the likes of Paddy Dangerfield and Jeremy Cameron early in the year.

"There's that depth there and when I was at Hawthorn we certainly had that depth which really helps you during the year.

"There's certainly similarities, my time, especially early at Hawthorn we had so many great players, having come down to Geelong, even guys I didn't suspect when I was playing against them, once they are your teammates you discover just how important they are to the team."

LISTEN HERE: Cats star Isaac Smith talks to The Courier

Smith said there were a number of his new teammates that had surprised him.

"There's a handful of blokes, but certainly the two that stand out are Mark Blicavs and Brandan Parfitt," he said.

"Blic's is able to play pretty much any position on the field, he's so athletic, he sees the game so well. When we were at Hawthorn you'd worry about the Selwood's, Dangerfield's, Guthrie's, Duncan's, those sorts of blokes, but coming to Geelong you realise how important Parfitt is to the midfield operating, he's brilliant."

In some quarters, the Geelong team of 2021 has been likened to the Carlton team of 1995 which also featured a number of veteran players nearing the end of their career.

"I do know what the Carlton team was like, because I was a Carlton fan and it's pretty much the first game I can remember," Smith said.

Like that Carlton side, the Cats have also dropped a couple of games they would have been expected to win, but have been outstanding against the best teams.

"I feel like we've had a pretty mature performances this year, yeah we lost against Adelaide early, they probably had a lot bigger pre-season and were up and firing and we probably weren't 100 per cent ready to go," Smith said.

"But since then we've clicked into gear and yes we lost that one in Sydney, where we dominated the game and didn't kick straight.

"But since when we've come up against the top sides, or any game pitted as a big game we've had very mature performances and been able to dictate the game.

"I'm not saying that will happen all year, but it's been pleasing we've been able to do it certainly in the first half of the year. Hopefully that continues to roll on this week and the weeks leading into September."

There's been a number of challenges the club has faced, none more so than the unusual preparation for the game against Port Adelaide last Thursday. Smith took a very Adelaide Oval tactic to his warm-up.

"I did roll the arm over a little bit, it was quite interesting to tell you the truth," he said. "I think we were there seven hours before the game and we were locked into the cricket nets before we were allowed to go into the change rooms to get ready for the game.

"There were blokes sleeping under tables, behind high jump mats, there were a lot of blokes that weren't sleeping, it was an interesting little set-up but it was pleasing that we were able to go over on the day of the game, spend seven hours there before we played and get the result.

"I wouldn't say I'd want to be doing it every week, it was a big three or four days leading in to the game."

He admitted the big preparation was one out of the box, but doesn't feel like it will affect the team on Friday night against the Western Bulldogs.

"I don't think there's a fear (of us being flat), you talk about the age of our group, we've all been round long enough and dealt with enough different circumstances," he said.

Smith expects the game to be won in the midfield.

"They are every bit as good as any other team which will be challenging later in the year," he said.

"Obviously a lot of their power is in the midfield, I think contested possession is a big one for them and they want to play the ball in their half, so we're going to have to match them in contested possession, if we do we can put ourselves in a position to win.

"It's also about how you deliver it to the forward line. Every defence has their strengths and weaknesses when you come up against it, you hope you can manipulate that to the best of your ability.

"In saying that, we're very fortunate we've got five very big targets when you add (Esava) Ratugolea and Dangerfield to the other three, we've got a pretty powerful forward line, but you've got to get it down there."

On the two big talking points of the week, firstly involving Adelaide Crows player David McKay's hit on St Kilda's Hunter Clark, Smith said players would adapt to whatever the decision was.

"To be honest, I've got no idea, it's up in the air, no one wants to see blokes get injured like that, but we also realise as players we play competitive combative game, to be honest, I've got no idea how it might go," he said.

"I think players are so good at adapting at whatever changes are thrown at the game, you look at the man on the mark rule, everyone was throwing their arms up in the air, yet no-one has seen any free kicks since round one. I just hope in this instance Hunter Clark is okay and he heals quickly, he's a good young player."

The other talking point this week about the right of a father to take time off if their family needs it given conversations regarding St Kilda pair Seb Ross and Tim Membrey who each took a game off to spend time with family, Smith is much more succinct in his response.

"I am a parent, it's been interesting the commentary around it, because unless you are one of those individuals you cannot understand what is going on," he said. "I'm surprised ... it's been played out in the media.

"Those discussions should be kept behind closed doors with the people in the club. I've been pretty disappointed with the way it's played out to be honest. Family comes first."

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