Opinion Commentary & Media VIII

[DuckYeah]

Can they remove some rules and slow th game down a bit instead of butchering this disaster further?

 

[DuckYeah]

There goes X's point of difference.
He gonna get pinned hard for blocking space now.

Just go and find a 7 foot ruck who can jump in the state leagues and play them as the 23rd man.

Also as a team that has one of the worst skills in the comp - we will definitely concede more than the average number of free kicks.
Funny how Geelong's home ground with the narrow wings benefits the most from the last touch free kick rule too.

They have never liked the way xerri has rucked the game. So now they will attempt to make rules that push him out of the game

 

[King Corey]

AFL​

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Dylan Smith feels awkward about being interviewed by Code Sports for this series.
2000s number six draft pick is worried that his footy story isn’t interesting enough to warrant being told.
“I’m just someone who had a go at footy, didn’t quite make it and got on with their life,” he says.
“Is this a bit self-centred to be thinking about it so much and to be going over it?”
Smith is speaking a quarter of a century removed from his own joyful draft experience and 20 years after his career petered out at 21 games for two clubs.


You have entered page 1



6
Draft Pick

2000
21
Draft Year
Games

2001-2003
2004-2005
GAMES BREAKDOWN

DYLAN SMITH'S ADVICE TO PROSPECTIVE DRAFTEES



Grow yourself, your interests and your career pathways outside of football.
1

Value and appreciate the people you meet along the way, they remain important well after your playing days.
2


Stay true to yourself - Remember it’s a game, stay playful and try to have fun amidst the pressures of the industry.
3




When he was drafted to the Kangaroos in the top 10, it was a happy time for his whole family.
“It was a really lovely time really,” Smith remembers.
“There was lots of hope and lots of expectation for the future and it was really nice … It was everything I’d dreamt of, really, just from day one.”
From his time as a kid in Woodend in Melbourne’s north, Smith always believed he would play in the AFL.

“From 12 or 13 I had an inner confidence that … it’s going to happen for me and be drafted.” Smith says.

Dylan Smith at 16 – from the age of 12 he knew he would be drafted.
“There was really no question in my mind that it would happen, and that’s the way it panned out.”
A best on ground performance in the 1999 Under 18 grand final didn’t hurt, neither did being named in the 2000 Under 18 All Australian team.
But with Smith’s high draft status and reputation as a junior star came the weight of expectation, mainly from himself.
“I certainly had a very high level of expectation, which didn’t always help me, because there was the weight of that through the journey as well,” he says.
“And it wasn’t a lightness or a playfulness or even appreciation to be honest, it was a heaviness at times.”

Dylan Smith after being the Kangaroos’ first pick in the 2000 draft, taken at pick six.
Smith played in round one of his debut season alongside legendary Kangaroos names of Glenn Archer, Anthony Stevens and Adam Simpson.
He managed to string together the first three games but then was in and out of the side for the rest of the season as well as the following year.
And then, Denis Pagan defected to Carlton and Danielle Laidley took the reins as coach and Smith didn’t fit into the club’s plans.
“The game style shifted and went to more skills-based and accuracy based and I just didn’t necessarily take that shift well enough … I didn’t quite adjust.”
So at the end of 2003, the former number 6 draft pick was shown the door, but a call from his former mentor Pagan kept his AFL dream alive.

Dylan with his sister Clea Smith in 2001. Clea played cricket for Australia 62 times across all three formats and currently sits on the Cricket Australia board.
“Denis invited me to train with Carlton, and he … mentioned that his mail was that there was a few people that were looking at me at that time,” Smith recalls.
“So that was a lovely little moment … he was looking out for me at that time.”
Fremantle gave Smith a chance and extended his AFL career by 10 games over two years.
But five years of never being about to cement a spot and have a good clear run of games became a burden.
Dylan Smith kicks a goal for the Dockers
“Being on the edge of the team is draining,” he says.
“So it was a bit of relief at the end, to be honest, when that wasn’t sort of a day-to-day experience.”
After a brief period coming to terms with the end of his AFL dream, Smith had a revelation.
“I came into a feeling of, ‘Well, I’ve got back 10 years of my life that I probably didn’t have [in the AFL system]’.”
“So the world suddenly opened up and there was – not relief that I didn’t have to do football because that was the disappointing side – but relief that the stressful situation was over and I now had opportunities at 23 to think about what I wanted to do and what I want to explore.”

Smith in Fremantle’s heritage colours in 2004 celebrating a goal. Picture: AAP Image/ Stuart McEvoy
Smith left footy behind for a number of years, travelling the world and studying.
“Immediately after and I think it was five or six years before I played again and certainly there was, I don’t know if you call it a falling out, if I fell out of love, but certainly needed some distance from the game.”
And yet, despite the disappointment, Smith’s love of the game remains.
“I do love footy,” Smith says.
“The disappointment has softened … and it just feels like, ‘oh well, that didn’t work out, other things in life came up.’”
On top of his 10 senior games, Smith’s two years at Fremantle proved personally fruitful as it was during that time he met his now-wife Julia and where they have built a life for the past 20 years and raised their three kids.
And it also gave him the direction for his future career in philanthropy which started with the Fremantle Football Club Foundation and is now a Director at Community Foundations Australia.
“I can make a contribution to communities around Australia who are looking at starting their own community foundation,” Smith says.

Smith (pictured in 2000 as the captain of the Sandringham Dragons) believes the opportunities presented to him by football led him to his current calling making a difference to communities around Australia. Picture: Stuart Milligan
“There’s a through line there to the opportunity that football opened up for me.”
Dylan Smith has the sort of perspective about his footy career that only two decades of ‘normal life’ can bring.
“Perhaps my biggest reflection is sure there’s a personal disappointment but actually afterwards what was missing in that AFL life for me was making a decent contribution to the team or to others, feeling like I was playing a meaningful role.
“This wasn’t what I imagined I would be doing, but football has opened up a lot of experiences and opportunities that have come from that.”
Smith’s relationship with footy is as a true fan these days: “jumping up with every tackle, I don’t have too much of a filter”.
And just recently, Smith found himself able to get some closure to the abrupt end of his three years at the Kangaroos.
“I managed to connect with Danielle Laidley over here in WA and we caught up for a coffee,” he says.
“After all this time it was lovely to share some memories of that time.
“It felt very soothing to me and she was lovely in terms of how she remembered that time and had some very nice things to say”

Dylan Smith was always a classy guy.

Fair to say apart from Simpson and Bell, at that time we weren't flush with the greatest orators in history.

So seeing this 18yo interviewed at the draft, big Tom Cruise smile, confident and articulate was something a bit different.

Dylan could play. Good body positioning, smart and skillful. But his size lack of zip and kicking penetration cost him in the end. Comparisons to Will Phillips are obvious but no disrespect to the latter, I'd say Dylan was the more effective player at AFL level.

Always came across as an interesting, eclectic kind of guy so not surprised his story feels that way too.

 

[King Corey]

There goes X's point of difference.
He gonna get pinned hard for blocking space now.

Just go and find a 7 foot ruck who can jump in the state leagues and play them as the 23rd man.

Also as a team that has one of the worst skills in the comp - we will definitely concede more than the average number of free kicks.
Funny how Geelong's home ground with the narrow wings benefits the most from the last touch free kick rule too.

Thank God we re-signed the other 200cm bloke who can jump even less.

 

[Its a Process]

There goes X's point of difference.
He gonna get pinned hard for blocking space now.

Just go and find a 7 foot ruck who can jump in the state leagues and play them as the 23rd man.

Also as a team that has one of the worst skills in the comp - we will definitely concede more than the average number of free kicks.
Funny how Geelong's home ground with the narrow wings benefits the most from the last touch free kick rule too.

He can still put them in the meat grinder around the ground and at boundary throw ins.

Goad will most likely benefit from the rule change.

 

[Gorman2Geister]

AFL​

Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Follow
Dylan Smith feels awkward about being interviewed by Code Sports for this series.
2000s number six draft pick is worried that his footy story isn’t interesting enough to warrant being told.
“I’m just someone who had a go at footy, didn’t quite make it and got on with their life,” he says.
“Is this a bit self-centred to be thinking about it so much and to be going over it?”
Smith is speaking a quarter of a century removed from his own joyful draft experience and 20 years after his career petered out at 21 games for two clubs.


You have entered page 1



6
Draft Pick

2000
21
Draft Year
Games

2001-2003
2004-2005
GAMES BREAKDOWN

DYLAN SMITH'S ADVICE TO PROSPECTIVE DRAFTEES



Grow yourself, your interests and your career pathways outside of football.
1

Value and appreciate the people you meet along the way, they remain important well after your playing days.
2


Stay true to yourself - Remember it’s a game, stay playful and try to have fun amidst the pressures of the industry.
3




When he was drafted to the Kangaroos in the top 10, it was a happy time for his whole family.
“It was a really lovely time really,” Smith remembers.
“There was lots of hope and lots of expectation for the future and it was really nice … It was everything I’d dreamt of, really, just from day one.”
From his time as a kid in Woodend in Melbourne’s north, Smith always believed he would play in the AFL.

“From 12 or 13 I had an inner confidence that … it’s going to happen for me and be drafted.” Smith says.

Dylan Smith at 16 – from the age of 12 he knew he would be drafted.
“There was really no question in my mind that it would happen, and that’s the way it panned out.”
A best on ground performance in the 1999 Under 18 grand final didn’t hurt, neither did being named in the 2000 Under 18 All Australian team.
But with Smith’s high draft status and reputation as a junior star came the weight of expectation, mainly from himself.
“I certainly had a very high level of expectation, which didn’t always help me, because there was the weight of that through the journey as well,” he says.
“And it wasn’t a lightness or a playfulness or even appreciation to be honest, it was a heaviness at times.”

Dylan Smith after being the Kangaroos’ first pick in the 2000 draft, taken at pick six.
Smith played in round one of his debut season alongside legendary Kangaroos names of Glenn Archer, Anthony Stevens and Adam Simpson.
He managed to string together the first three games but then was in and out of the side for the rest of the season as well as the following year.
And then, Denis Pagan defected to Carlton and Danielle Laidley took the reins as coach and Smith didn’t fit into the club’s plans.
“The game style shifted and went to more skills-based and accuracy based and I just didn’t necessarily take that shift well enough … I didn’t quite adjust.”
So at the end of 2003, the former number 6 draft pick was shown the door, but a call from his former mentor Pagan kept his AFL dream alive.

Dylan with his sister Clea Smith in 2001. Clea played cricket for Australia 62 times across all three formats and currently sits on the Cricket Australia board.
“Denis invited me to train with Carlton, and he … mentioned that his mail was that there was a few people that were looking at me at that time,” Smith recalls.
“So that was a lovely little moment … he was looking out for me at that time.”
Fremantle gave Smith a chance and extended his AFL career by 10 games over two years.
But five years of never being about to cement a spot and have a good clear run of games became a burden.
Dylan Smith kicks a goal for the Dockers
“Being on the edge of the team is draining,” he says.
“So it was a bit of relief at the end, to be honest, when that wasn’t sort of a day-to-day experience.”
After a brief period coming to terms with the end of his AFL dream, Smith had a revelation.
“I came into a feeling of, ‘Well, I’ve got back 10 years of my life that I probably didn’t have [in the AFL system]’.”
“So the world suddenly opened up and there was – not relief that I didn’t have to do football because that was the disappointing side – but relief that the stressful situation was over and I now had opportunities at 23 to think about what I wanted to do and what I want to explore.”

Smith in Fremantle’s heritage colours in 2004 celebrating a goal. Picture: AAP Image/ Stuart McEvoy
Smith left footy behind for a number of years, travelling the world and studying.
“Immediately after and I think it was five or six years before I played again and certainly there was, I don’t know if you call it a falling out, if I fell out of love, but certainly needed some distance from the game.”
And yet, despite the disappointment, Smith’s love of the game remains.
“I do love footy,” Smith says.
“The disappointment has softened … and it just feels like, ‘oh well, that didn’t work out, other things in life came up.’”
On top of his 10 senior games, Smith’s two years at Fremantle proved personally fruitful as it was during that time he met his now-wife Julia and where they have built a life for the past 20 years and raised their three kids.
And it also gave him the direction for his future career in philanthropy which started with the Fremantle Football Club Foundation and is now a Director at Community Foundations Australia.
“I can make a contribution to communities around Australia who are looking at starting their own community foundation,” Smith says.

Smith (pictured in 2000 as the captain of the Sandringham Dragons) believes the opportunities presented to him by football led him to his current calling making a difference to communities around Australia. Picture: Stuart Milligan
“There’s a through line there to the opportunity that football opened up for me.”
Dylan Smith has the sort of perspective about his footy career that only two decades of ‘normal life’ can bring.
“Perhaps my biggest reflection is sure there’s a personal disappointment but actually afterwards what was missing in that AFL life for me was making a decent contribution to the team or to others, feeling like I was playing a meaningful role.
“This wasn’t what I imagined I would be doing, but football has opened up a lot of experiences and opportunities that have come from that.”
Smith’s relationship with footy is as a true fan these days: “jumping up with every tackle, I don’t have too much of a filter”.
And just recently, Smith found himself able to get some closure to the abrupt end of his three years at the Kangaroos.
“I managed to connect with Danielle Laidley over here in WA and we caught up for a coffee,” he says.
“After all this time it was lovely to share some memories of that time.
“It felt very soothing to me and she was lovely in terms of how she remembered that time and had some very nice things to say”

A super solid citizen from a great family so it's fantastic, albeit unsurprising to see him succeeding in other areas.

He was an absolute gun at Haileybury First XVIII level, even when he was in Year 10 and was setting the standards in terms of levels of training, professionalism and commitment that matched his talent and athleticism (he was a pretty handy sprinter too).

 

[King Corey]

A super solid citizen from a great family so it's fantastic, albeit unsurprising to see him succeeding in other areas.

He was an absolute gun at Haileybury First XVIII level, even when he was in Year 10 and was setting the standards in terms of levels of training, professionalism and commitment that matched his talent and athleticism (he was a pretty handy sprinter too).

You probably know more - iirc his parents were intellectuals or academics? Something of that ilk.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

Dylan Smith

Dylan Smith

Age

43

Ht

175cm

Wt

77kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

9.3

2star

K

4.7

2star

HB

4.7

3star

M

1.2

2star

T

2.6

4star

No current season stats available

D

5.2

2star

K

2.6

1star

HB

2.6

3star

M

0.8

1star

T

1.6

4star

was the early 2000’s Will Phillips.

 

[shimaburnsgrieg]

There goes X's point of difference.
He gonna get pinned hard for blocking space now.

Just go and find a 7 foot ruck who can jump in the state leagues and play them as the 23rd man.

Also as a team that has one of the worst skills in the comp - we will definitely concede more than the average number of free kicks.
Funny how Geelong's home ground with the narrow wings benefits the most from the last touch free kick rule too.

Well luckily we have one in Goad on our list with a couple of years in the VFL under his belt and who is primed to go as our 23rd man in '26.

Will also allow X to push forward more often than he has done in the past to create a pack marking threat - a threat we haven't had in a long while.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

We’ll soon have a glass wall around the ground so the ball can’t go out and it will be basically ice hockey without the sticks.

These campaigners are insane.

 

[King Corey]

Dylan Smith was the early 2000’s Will Phillips.

Better tho as you'd know.

Got a few games in a side with Pickett, Carey, McKernan, Archer, Stevens, King, Harvey, Grant etc.

Phillips managed to run out with alumni such as Bosenavulagi, Howe, Taylor, Mahony, Spicer and Menadue.

 

[Gorman2Geister]

You probably know more - iirc his parents were intellectuals or academics? Something of that ilk.

I only knew his uncle and brother but I don't think they were, after all he was from Woodend! His uncle was a mad keen North man and so would have been stoked to see him be drafted. Unfortunately it didn't work out super well but not from lack of trying.

 

[DarkPhoenix]

So not only did they not listen to EVERYONE about how shit the stand rule was.
They ****ing made it worse.

 

[FlyHigh18]

We’ll soon have a glass wall around the ground so the ball can’t go out and it will be basically ice hockey without the sticks.

These campaigners are insane.

hope so, the ball going out and play stopping it the crappest part of every sport and what makes ice hockey so fun.
no bs go go go

 

[FlyHigh18]

"Reducing dead time within matches was a key focus of the meetings, with the AFL hoping to slash around three minutes of total game length as a result of the impending rule changes."

 

[see see]

hope so, the ball going out and play stopping it the crappest part of every sport and what makes ice hockey so fun.
no bs go go go

Actually, it's the fights. No-one denies this.

 

[DuckYeah]

So not only did they not listen to EVERYONE about how shit the stand rule was.
They ****ing made it worse.

I stopped reading because it pissed me off, went back for a second bite and

Now, if you are within 5m of a mark or a free kick when it is paid, deemed the protected area, you will be required to 'stand' and can no longer reverse to being 'outside five'.

so everyone is going to stand like statues? WTF is this? Or do they mean the player on the mark?

 

[DarkPhoenix]

I stopped reading because it pissed me off, went back for a second bite and

Now, if you are within 5m of a mark or a free kick when it is paid, deemed the protected area, you will be required to 'stand' and can no longer reverse to being 'outside five'.

so everyone is going to stand like statues? WTF is this? Or do they mean the player on the mark?

Player on the mark.

You no longer have the option of backing off to allow lateral movement.
If you contested the mark, too bad, you stand the mark and thats all you can do.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

I stopped reading because it pissed me off, went back for a second bite and

Now, if you are within 5m of a mark or a free kick when it is paid, deemed the protected area, you will be required to 'stand' and can no longer reverse to being 'outside five'.

so everyone is going to stand like statues? WTF is this? Or do they mean the player on the mark?

This is going to be an almighty cluster****.

They can’t even ****ing judge marks correctly, now they’re having to focus on peripheral players and whether they need to pretend they’ve stared directly into the eyes of Medusa.

FMD.

 

[giantroo]

 

[FlyHigh18]

Actually, it's the fights. No-one denies this.

Both can be true

 

[rickety]

Didn't the ruck folk used to suffer knee injuries as their knees would clash in the jumping contest?

 

[Its a Process]

Didn't the ruck folk used to suffer knee injuries as their knees would clash in the jumping contest?

Correct, they reduced the run up as there was a high rate of PCL injuries caused by Rucks jumping into each other.

 

[DuckYeah]

Player on the mark.

You no longer have the option of backing off to allow lateral movement.
If you contested the mark, too bad, you stand the mark and thats all you can do.

i cant stand it …


Pun intended

 

[amaz199]

The stand rule is a complete disaster.