A big-bodied forward/ruck, Smith is undersized for a ruck at AFL level so will likely end up predominantly as a forward, who can pinch-hit in the ruck. Smith’s best traits are his contested marking and physicality, regularly booting goals and providing a presence inside 50. When he is not clunking marks, he is bringing the ball to ground, but has a lot of athletic areas to work on going forward. In recent times bigger-bodied athletes who do not have the athleticism have not been in vogue to be drafted unless they are a starting ruck, but Smith has more smarts than a lot and it shows in the way he impacts a contest. It is also worth noting Smith has cut back 5kg since the start of the year to be as fit as possible by years-end. He is never going to run a sub-three second 20m sprint, but he offers a contest and consistently hits the scoreboard with a strong presence in the air and at ground level.

STRENGTHS: Physicality, contested marking, scoreboard impact, versatility
IMPROVEMENTS: Endurance, athleticism

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DRAFT CENTRAL'S INTERVIEW WITH JOSH SMITH AT THE 2019 STATE DRAFT COMBINE:

[audio mp3="https://cdn.draftcentral.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2001/05/Josh-Smith-Gippsland-Power.mp3"][/audio]