Zac Smith

[TheSunGod]

Good to see we've wrapped up big Zac until the end of 2013 :thumbsu:

http://goldcoastfc.com.au/news-and-media/news/big-zac-smith-locked-in/page-1/

[white_noise]

Fantastic to see.
Should be the starting ruck man in most games. The more I think about it the more i'm convinced Josh Fraser would make a better player of himself as a tall target deep in our 50.

[TheSunGod]

http://www.goldcoastfc.com.au/data/images/team/2011/02_ZacSmith.jpg


DETAILS
JUMPER # 2
DOB 22/02/1990
HEIGHT 205cm
WEIGHT 97kg
BEGINNINGS U15 QLD Soccer

http://www.goldcoastfc.com.au/the-team/player-profiles/zac-smith/

Rockhampton-raised Zac Smith is an exciting 205cm ruck prospect.

He’s an extremely agile tall with a rare turn of speed who is equally at home overhead and or at ground level.

He’s also sure-footed and calm in a crisis, a point proven by his post-siren kick into the wind to seal an incredible come from behind VFL win against Bendigo Bombers in Cairns last season.

His outstanding year was recognised by his inclusion alongside the likes of Nick Riewoldt, Sam Gilbert, Jarrod Harbrow and Dayne Beams in AFL Queensland’s Team of the Year. Smith was the only VFL player selected.

Extraordinarily, 2010 was only Smith’s fourth season of AFL football. Previously he’d focused his prodigious talents towards – of all things - indoor soccer.

[TheSunGod]

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/108701/default.aspx


Suns' big plan for big man

GOLD Coast ruckman Zac Smith is set to return from an injured heel and play his first game of the pre-season in the final round of NAB Cup/Challenge games next weekend.

The 21-year-old suffered bone bruising in the Suns' final practice match before the first round of the NAB Cup and has been unable to play so far.

However, coach Guy McKenna says the former soccer player is expected to get a game in before the Suns start their home-and-away season in round two and hopefully combine with experienced ruckman Josh Fraser for the majority of the year.

"You'd like to think [he'd play every week], but it's the great unknown," McKenna said on Wednesday.

"Zac's 206cm and he's probably 100kg so he hasn't filled out yet, he hasn't matured -he's still a boy really in the ruck sense.

"If he gets through six or seven games in a row and his body starts to get grumbly then we'll pull him out so he can get himself right, have a week off and then throw him back in."

McKenna said Smith was capable of physically competing with the league's biggest ruckmen but expected to manage his load if he faced experienced big men in consecutive weeks.

He said he wouldn't keep the athletic giant away from the action and would play him alongside the experienced former Magpie rather than as the first ruckman in the seconds.

"Against other sides who have ruckmen who are tall and lean like him then he can play for sure," he said.

"We're not going to develop Zac as quick in the NEAFL so we'll be playing two rucks. Josh can push forward after the ruck and then Zac can come on and ruck so we can develop him through the season."

Smith said working with Fraser and ruck coach Jeff White had been invaluable to his development considering he only started playing football four years ago.

"They've been amazing. I've known Whitey now for a couple of years because he's been here since I started, which was pretty much day dot," he told afl.com.au.

"He's been incredible with my development and then 'Frase' came along and I've just grown so much, my game sense and following him around the training paddock."

Smith started playing soccer when he was four years old, initially as a striker and later as a full back, and, just over 10 years later, he represented Queensland in the indoor variation of the game in Brazil.

He was then convinced to try Australian Rules in 2007 by his mates, who were impressed by his height and athletic ability.

He played under 17s in Rockhampton before moving to Brisbane with his family in 2008, where he continued to develop with the Zillmere Eagles.

There he attracted the attention of Gold Coast's scouts and was invited to join the club ahead of its first TAC Cup season in 2009.

"Four years ago, I never thought I'd be here right now," Smith said.

A highlight for Smith, apart from making the VFL Team of the Year in 2010, has been his recent appointment to the leadership group for the Suns' first year in the AFL.

"I've been in the leadership group for the past couple of seasons but it's just stepped up a whole lot now," he said.

"I was very honoured to get selected by the boys. We had a pre-season camp at Mooloolaba and that's where the players chose the captain and leadership group.

"When I found out I was a little bit surprised, but I was stoked."

[fairdinkum]

I reckon Zac Smith will be better than both of them [Hamish McIntosh and David Hale].

That was over a year ago.

Good call!

:thumbsu:

[Faz 2000]

He should be smashing the Rising Star, shouldn't he?

[supernova_klown]

Heppel and big Zac are leading I would think?

Im tipping big Zac to win it, first year of AFL to play a massive key position and probably be in the top half of the ruckmen this year. Pretty massive effort.

Interesting comparison over the next 10 years will be Natanui/Smith/Kreuzer. They are all about the same age I think?

[Faz 2000]

Smith and Natanui both turned 21 this year, Kreuzer 22, so close enough.

All have so much potential.

I think Kreuzer is going to be an absolute warrior for Carlton. He does the little things so well, and is a physical force around contests. Kid competes as well as anyone going around, and I think that means he's always going to be a slightly better player than his raw talent says he should be. Could be next Carlton captain.

Natanui is clearly an extraordinary athlete, so can do things that other guys just can't do. Still a fair way to go in terms of consistently being in the right place and impacting games, but he could be anything.

And Smith, I think, is arguably the best of the lot. He's probably somewhere in the middle of the other two. Brilliant size and mobility, and great coordination for one so big. Will be a monster when he fills out.

Toss in Goldstein and you're looking at the best big men for the foreseeable future.

[supernova_klown]

With such quality big men, the worst thing for footy will be if they have injury problems and destroy their careers, ala Primus who was arguably one of the best ruckmen in the past 15 years also one of the big reasons I believe the AFL changed the rules and made the centre bounce circle to combat Primus' dominance late 90s early 00s.

Anyway gun ruckmen already at such an early age!

[Sunny_]

Rising Star Revisited. (http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/afl/rising-star-award-winner-dyson-heppell-overtaken-already/story-e6frepf6-1226306446365)

3. Zac Smith (Gold Coast)
A young Michael Gardiner. Big beasts so valuable. Finished third in Rising Star; matches spot here.

[Sunny_]

Seems to have grinded his way back into some form. Broke even with Big Mac from the Saints for hit-outs. Certainly not a bad effort considering how much stronger Mac is.

Interesting to note, Saints had quite a few third men going up.


Player DT SC Kk Hb Mk Tk HO FK G.B
Jared Brennan 84 96 11 14 4 4 1 0/2
Zac Smith 62 76 1 11 3 26 2/1
Harley Bennell 55 59 6 13 2 1 1
Tom Hickey 42 47 4 5 3 7 1/1 1.0



Player DT SC Kk Hb Mk Tk HO FK G.B
Nick Riewoldt 126 119 15 6 11 4 1 2/3 4.2
Sam Fisher104 114 19 6 9 3 1 1/2
Rhys Stanley 98 101 13 5 7 2 6 1/0 2.1
Nick Dal Santo 91 112 13 13 1 6 2 0/1
Ben McEvoy 88 117 5 9 6 1 27 1.0
J. Koschitzke 76 95 6 6 4 5 3 2/1 2.0