Chris Smith... A Docker In The Making

[The Night Shift]

So, what's the feedback on this young lad. He came over as a very highly rated midfielder from QLD. Is he developing his skills along nicely? Is he bulking up? The jury is most likely out on him, but I don't hear to much about him and with the fact that the signs of changes to Freo' are beckoning, does this guy have AFL potential. Can he represent the Purple Horde

 

[pinkus maximus]

the last time i saw him he looked massive

i havent seen or heard anything about him in the last month but i caught his early games in the WAFL and there is definitely some talent to work with. unlike our other mids he is tall and physically developed (about the same size as dunn)

hopefully some other people have seen him

 

[FREO81]

Seeing that Sandilands is out for the season Freo should promote Smith off the rookie list to the main list and give him a run if we dont win this weekend plus other youngsters. Give the oldies a break.

 

[Scham]

Seeing that Sandilands is out for the season Freo should promote Smith off the rookie list to the main list and give him a run if we dont win this weekend plus other youngsters. Give the oldies a break.

Mate, he can't even get a game with Swan Districts! Have you noticed how crap they are going, and he can't get a game with them, and you want to play him in the big league!
Pretty sure its too late to promote a rookie now anyway.

 

[stripes]

look at marcus drum....was hardly getting a kick with perth but was given a chance against adelaide and bagged 4 goals. I have seen him play 3 league games and 2 he would have got close to or above 20disp. the other he didn't get much of a run. he has what it takes no doubt but we forget he had no pre-season with a knee injury. give the kid time he will come through

 

[Scham]

look at marcus drum....was hardly getting a kick with perth but was given a chance against adelaide and bagged 4 goals. I have seen him play 3 league games and 2 he would have got close to or above 20disp. the other he didn't get much of a run. he has what it takes no doubt but we forget he had no pre-season with a knee injury. give the kid time he will come through

Drum was BOG with Perth league before getting the call up, he was a top 10 draft pick, has played almost a dozen afl games, played nearly 20 league WAFL games...apples and oranges comparing Drum and Smith atm. Smith has only played 3 league games hasn't he? I've seen two of them and he definately didn't get 20 possies in the two I saw.

I'm not saying he won't be a player in the future, just comenting on the call for him to play AFL, that's just ridiculous! And comparing him to Drum is just as silly.

 

[stripes]

not comparing him to drum at all i was just saying what drums situation was befor his call up. he had 1 bog game for perth befor that he was having a very lean year people were asking what had happened to him (don't take this the wrong way i'm happy with drum just putting in perspective). i'm not saying smith should get a game either just saying that wafl form does not always count. Smith has played either 6 or 7 league games. he is 18 or 19. its his first year who knows how he will go but i think he has what it takes n the future.

 

[Slacker]

I saw him at WAFL level when Subiaco played the Swans at home, I use the "saw" term loosely because he pulled an amazing disappearing act in the 2nd quarter. He started well in the 1st, then Subi grabbed the ascendancy and Smith went missing from then on.

Still got a some work to do before he'll crack an AFL game.

 

[The Night Shift]

look at marcus drum....was hardly getting a kick with perth but was given a chance against adelaide and bagged 4 goals. I have seen him play 3 league games and 2 he would have got close to or above 20disp. the other he didn't get much of a run. he has what it takes no doubt but we forget he had no pre-season with a knee injury. give the kid time he will come through

This is true. Some people respond way better to the big time then ( i shudder typing this ) 2nd tier leagues like WAFL......

 

[newlander77]

Peake wasn't setting the world on fire in the WAFL before he got a call up. In fact it was because of the injury list that he got a run in the first place, but they stuck with him and he's a gem!

I seem to remember a year or so ago Mark Williams plucked someone out of the SAFL reserves to play for Port.

I imagine it can be quite frustrating for AFL coaches if the WAFL coach is not playing them in the position or the game plan that suits their development. Sometimes maybe the best thing is to just bite the bullet and throw them in the deep end!

In saying that, I think pre-season games is the time for Smith to get his first taste and see how he goes with that. This year was a development year for him.

 

[Tundrawolf]

I've written before how highly rated Smith is by Fremantle.

He is a good sized midfielder (183cm) and has put on about 4 or 5 kgs since he's been in Perth.

Once he starts getting a feel for AFL life I think he'll be very good for us.

Played a couple of good games, mainly as a tagger for Swans earlier in the year.

I went to the South Freo v Swan Districts game a few weeks ago and met his family. His 15 yr old younger brother Jackson is now a mad keen Docker supporter and he is hoping he has his grandfathers(paternal and maternal) genes as they are both over 6ft 6inches.

Hopefully one day we'll see him at Freo too.