Player Watch #16 Josh Smillie

[Meteoric Rise]

he cant kick over 20
metres ? fmd

We've recruited yet another gimp Gru.

 

["The Roar Is Back"]

he cant kick over 20
metres ? fmd

You still prepared to put your foreskin ( by bench vice ) on him debuting this year ?

 

[Bird Man]

Running was never Smillies issue. It was kicking anything more than 20 metres. As yet I have not seen any evidence that he’s able to kick a longer distance. He can get his fitness level up by running and other aerobic exercises but until he can fully extend kicking he won’t be debuting.

Still in hold pattern I think. I wish him luck.

Evidence at 0:50 seconds

 

[Tiger_Of_Old]

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/richmond-coach-adem-yze-says-injuryplagued-young-gun-josh-smillie-has-found-remedy-to-softtissue-concerns/news-story/71028922d2e50b3a05b972533ced01fe

osh Smillie was the only one of seven first-round picks to not play for the Tigers in 2025, but coach Adem Yze

Adem Yze

Age

48

Ht

187cm

Wt

85kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

18.2

5star

K

14.4

5star

HB

3.8

3star

M

4.0

4star

T

1.7

4star

No current season stats available

D

5.2

2star

K

3.4

2star

HB

1.8

2star

M

0.6

1star

T

0.6

3star

believes the former No.7 pick has “found the remedy” to his injury issues.

Matthew Forrest
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https://twitter.com/mattforrest29






































Talented Richmond youngster Josh Smillie has “found the remedy” to lingering soft-tissue issues that plagued his maiden AFL campaign, according to coach Adem Yze

Adem Yze

Age

48

Ht

187cm

Wt

85kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

18.2

5star

K

14.4

5star

HB

3.8

3star

M

4.0

4star

T

1.7

4star

No current season stats available

D

5.2

2star

K

3.4

2star

HB

1.8

2star

M

0.6

1star

T

0.6

3star

.
Smillie was rarely seen on the football field, and never in the AFL, in the season since he was drafted with the No.7 pick in the 2024 draft.

Drafted as one of seven first-round picks to the Tigers, Smillie battled quad and hamstring injuries that restricted him to four VFL games.

He watched from the stands as his fellow draft class all debuted, with Sam Lalor (11 games), Taj Hotton (7), Jonty Faull (16), Luke Trainor (21), Harry Armstrong (8), Tom Sims (11), and Jasper Alger (4) all getting their chance on the big stage.

Smillie was the only one of this crop not to play in 2025. Picture: Daniel Pockett/AFL Photos via Getty Images
But the 196cm midfielder is closing in on a return to full training, with the club excited about his prospects of playing senior footy in 2026.

“We know the talent that he’s got but he’s been through a lot,” Yze said at the club’s AGM.

“We feel like we’ve found the remedy, he had an operation, he’s started his running program now and I think he’s three or four weeks away from full training.

“Hopefully he’s seen the end of that, he needs a bit of luck.

“Add that to the five we brought in this year and we’ve got six talented kids ready to go.”

MORE DEBUTS TO COME​

With Smillie not returning to full training until the end of February, it would be unlikely the talented youngster would feature at AFL level in the first round of the season.

But Yze said he wanted to see the other uncapped Tigers push for selection.

“There was a lot said last year with our high end picks in the eight we brought in last year,” he said.

There’ll be more youth blooded at the Tigers in 2026. Picture: Morgan Hancock/Getty Images
“But we had two really early picks in Sam Grlj and Sam Cumming and obviously they’re high-end talent and they’re showing that already at training and in some intra club and scrimmage games already.

“All the boys that have walked in – (Zane) Peucker, Noah Roberts-Thompson, and obviously Patty Retschko has already been in the system for 12 months – they’re all talented kids and they’re all showing some things.

“Hopefully you’ll see them in those early games as well.

“We want to expose those types of players and the youth really early, and hopefully we see some exposure against Essendon and Melbourne (in the practice matches) and a few of them might put their hand up for round 1.”

INJURY WRAP​

Richmond has avoided a run on injuries with its young talent, managing the workloads for the promising crop of second-year players.

Entering a first full pre-season can be fraught with danger for young talent as they’re unleashed on a full 16-week summer program.

But Yze said the list has been mostly healthy as the season proper nears.

Smillie had quad and hamstring complaints across 2025. Picture: Michael Klein
“They (the second-year draft class) did have a full season but they didn’t have a pre-season, Sammy Lalor came to the footy club and didn’t do a lot up until after Christmas last year,” he said.

“Jonty Faull was similar, it’s the first time all of them have had an opportunity to get a full pre-season under the belt.

“When you see them running around in a couple weeks’ time, you’ll see that progress there. There’s some big boys and they’ve grown into their bodies.

“Simsy’s (Tom Sims) had an interrupted pre-season with his injury, he’s starting to integrate back in training now, but the majority of them have got through everything, which is exactly what we want.”

 

[Drunken Wookie]

freo are turning 198cm luke jackson

9

Luke Jackson

Age

24

Ht

199cm

Wt

102kg

Pos.

F/R

Career

Season

Last 5

D

8.3

2star

K

3.3

1star

HB

5.0

4star

M

1.5

2star

T

1.0

3star

G

0.3

3star

D

8.3

2star

K

3.3

1star

HB

5.0

3star

M

1.5

2star

T

1.0

2star

G

0.3

3star

D

8.3

3star

K

3.3

2star

HB

5.0

4star

M

1.5

2star

T

1.0

3star

G

0.3

3star

into an inside mid, we got on this trend early.

 

[lizard man]

He’s 181 cm now

 

[Infamy]

He’s 181 cm now

Was the solution to his quad problems to cut his legs off?

 

[lizard man]

Was the solution to his quad problems to cut his legs off?

Yes, the good news is he won’t injure his quads ever again … he Doesn’t have them anymore

 

[SplintWhisky]

So do we still hate him or is he the next coming of jesus? CBF reading the 80 pages I missed.

 

[Livonski]

The ducks nuts

 

[Grrr]

According to Caesar on PRE,... in the rehab... Smills, (who's is starting to get up a head of steam).

So that to me sounds like the preparation has been amped up to begin training sooner hopefully than later.

As far as kicking goes, which was his issue before surgery, surely he has done some kicking to see if it is still an issue. Why would they be upping his training if the issue was still there.

 

[captain cotch 9]

According to Caesar on PRE,... in the rehab... Smills, (who's is starting to get up a head of steam).

So that to me sounds like the preparation has been amped up to begin training sooner hopefully than later.

As far as kicking goes, which was his issue before surgery, surely he has done some kicking to see if it is still an issue. Why would they be upping his training if the issue was still there.

Sounds like he is on track from what the club has said.

 

[ComfortablyNumb]

According to Caesar on PRE,... in the rehab... Smills, (who's is starting to get up a head of steam).

So that to me sounds like the preparation has been amped up to begin training sooner hopefully than later.

As far as kicking goes, which was his issue before surgery, surely he has done some kicking to see if it is still an issue. Why would they be upping his training if the issue was still there.

he's just gonna play like zac dawson did, handball to the closest teammate and never kick unless he absolutely has to

 

[Morro]

According to Caesar on PRE,... in the rehab... Smills, (who's is starting to get up a head of steam).

So that to me sounds like the preparation has been amped up to begin training sooner hopefully than later.

As far as kicking goes, which was his issue before surgery, surely he has done some kicking to see if it is still an issue. Why would they be upping his training if the issue was still there.

did he do a match sim summary by any chance?

 

[Grrr]

did he do a match sim summary by any chance?

No. Rehab group, but raising the bar from what was inferred.

 

[energyquant]

#quadwatch
Day 176 - no news to report

For daily updates, please subscribe to #quadwatch on Facebook, Insta, Snapchat and now LinkedIn

 

[Drunken Wookie]

#quadwatch
Day 176 - no news to report

For daily updates, please subscribe to #quadwatch on Facebook, Insta, Snapchat and now LinkedIn

does this include saucy photos of peuckers beefy gams?

 

[Nerflardio2424]

2-3 weeks away from main training. Won’t be expecting a debut before the bye tbh

 

[THE_GUN]

Honestly i dont mind if he doesnt play at all this year if it means we solve the problem and the kid has a great career

We have enough new toys to play with

 

[KrispyKreme]

Honestly i dont mind if he doesnt play at all this year if it means we solve the problem and the kid has a great career

We have enough new toys to play with

 

[Morro]

Honestly i dont mind if he doesnt play at all this year if it means we solve the problem and the kid has a great career

We have enough new toys to play with

**** off hahaha

 

[SMILLIE]

So there’s no conspiracy. Scans look as they should. Remedy has been found

 

[Woodstock]

Not in the firsts before ANZAC Eve I’d say.

 

[docko911]

2-3 weeks away from main training. Won’t be expecting a debut before the bye tbh

Won’t need him til finals. He can slot in the last 4-6 weeks of the season on our way to a flag. Bit like Graham.

 

[THE_GUN]

So are we expecting the club to announce Smillie will need another surgery to correct the 'Scarring' or something like that
in 3 weeks time