STRENGTHS:

+ Agility
+ Kicking
+ Poise
+ Size
+ Stoppage craft
+ Versatility

IMPROVEMENTS:

- Burst speed
- Contested marking

Smillie's size is what sets him apart among a raft of unique on-ballers fighting for top 10 contendership. At 195cm, he is the most athletic, versatile and skilled tall midfielder available, offering a range of desirable traits. His physical gifts extend further than just pure brawn, though, with Smillie also wonderfully agile and capable of manufacturing space like few others can. It's all the more impressive given his frame.

At the core of Smillie's game is his stoppage nous. He has had the pleasure of spending time with Carlton captain Patrick Cripps and projects as a player with similarly high footy IQ and craft. While his numbers at the National Championships were overall down, his clearance figures remained strong; averaging around 19 disposals, 10 contested possessions, and six clearances per game for the Big V.

It's a facet of the game which also allows him to hit the scoreboard. Difficult to tie down or manoeuvre off the line of the ball, Smillie can camp himself under the rucks or get on the move to shark and score from forward 50 stoppages. One of the prime examples of that came in Round 1 of the Coates Talent League, where he roved the ball at speed and improvised a slick checkside finish.

At that point in time, Smillie had a case for being the best junior in the country. His start to the season was sublime, dominating his peers and stringing together a month of form where he had three games of over 30 disposals and multiple goals in each. The aforementioned Round 1 performance against Oakleigh also put his name in lights, as he tore up the second half against a range of fellow top midfield talents.

Smillie is also a terrific user of the ball. His kicking is a real strength, able to quickly identify targets and pick them off over short and long ranges. In particular, his kick penetration can be quite damaging going inside 50. It's part of why he shapes as such a versatile prospect, with such distributive skills applicable to playing down back - where Smillie was an Under 16 All-Australian.

While usually a polished and poised user, Smillie was tested at the National Championships. Other, smaller midfielders lifted with the pace of the game, and he was afforded less time to play to his own cruisy tempo. As a result, his kicking efficiency fell to 56 per cent and much of his impact centred around the stoppages. He struggled to get involved in his second position as a forward, too.

Perhaps an area for improvement is his forward craft and ability to take contested marks. Despite his height and strong frame, Smillie is not the most prominent aerial figure and generally earns his possessions either at the source or in open play. He hits the scoreboard, just not in the same method as a Harvey Langford or Sam Lalor. Given he produced the fifth-best vertical jump (71cm) at the draft combine, he has scope to improve aerially.

Smillie could also be more defensive minded at the contest, but is capable of laying bone-crunching tackles when his number is called. He has the capacity to lead by actions more prominently, and has been put in good positions to do so as captain of the Eastern Ranges and National Academy. Other facets Smillie is looking to add to his game include his 1-5m burst speed, and refining his kicking technique even further.