{"id":149631,"date":"2024-01-30T15:58:34","date_gmt":"2024-01-30T05:58:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/?p=149631"},"modified":"2024-01-30T15:58:35","modified_gmt":"2024-01-30T05:58:35","slug":"2024-afl-draft-race-to-1-josh-smillie","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/2024\/01\/30\/2024-afl-draft-race-to-1-josh-smillie\/","title":{"rendered":"2024 AFL Draft | Race to #1: Josh Smillie"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

TALL midfielders have had their moment in the sun among AFL Draft circles, and Josh Smillie<\/a> is one who could bring the trend back in vogue. The Eastern Ranges product has long been a standout in the talent pathway and is among a handful of midfielders vying for top prospect status in 2024. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Smillie burst onto the scene in 2022. He earned MVP honours in Vic Metro’s Under 16 side and was duly named All Australian (half-back), before making his debut with the Ranges and helping Whitefriars College take out its first Herald Sun Shield title in 18 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

>> SCROLL for player highlights<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since, Smillie compiled an excellent bottom-aged campaign with the Ranges and broke into the Vic Metro Under 18 team. Despite missing out on Eastern’s appearance in the Talent League decider through injury, he recovered in time to turn out on AFL Grand Final day for the Under 17 Futures game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Almost inevitably, Smillie was selected in this year’s National Academy and has spent time training with Hawthorn during preseason. His rare blend of size and athleticism, as well as the capacity to play in every third of the ground makes him the next subject of our Race to #1<\/em> series.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

>> Race to #1:<\/strong> Sid Draper<\/a> | Jagga Smith<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Midfielder<\/span><\/div>

Josh Smillie<\/h4>

Height: <\/span>195cm<\/p>

Weight: <\/span> - <\/p>

DOB: <\/span>17-05-2006<\/p><\/div><\/div> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n

BY THE NUMBERS:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2023 Coates Talent League (8 games)
<\/em><\/strong>26.3 disposals | 4.4 marks | 3.6 tackles | 4.3 inside 50s | 0.5 goals<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2023 AFL U18 National Championships (2 games)
<\/em><\/strong>21.0 disposals | 3.5 marks | 3.5 tackles | 1.5 clearances | 7.0 inside 50s<\/p>\n\n\n\n

>> Ones to watch:<\/strong> 24 AFL Draft prospects in 2024<\/a><\/p>\n

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STRENGTHS<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

+ Footy IQ
+ Clean hands
+ Stoppage craft
+ Versatility
+ Size<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Smillie stands above his peers quite literally at 194cm, but is far from dependant on his size to make an impact. While it helps him to buy more time on the ball and compete aerially, Smillie is also athletic enough to step to the outside, and composed enough to seldom rush a disposal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He’s both a clean extractor and distributor – by hand and foot – capable of doing so on the inside or as a free-roaming playmaker across half-back. Smillie’s foot skills are particularly potent, both penetrative and accurate, and backed by typically sound decision making.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There have been few more versatile tall midfielders in the pathway than Smillie, who also rotates forward. He does things similarly to Marcus Bontempelli<\/strong> in that sense, while blending those traits with the contested nous and footy IQ of a Patrick Cripps<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Smillie may still look to enhance attributes in the latter mould. He can fall into the trap of either looking to do too much with the ball or not enough, but plays with such ease that he can lean both ways. Improving his defensive accountability at stoppages will also be key when the game isn’t played on his terms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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