Craig Smoker
Encyclopedia
Craig Smoker is a former Australian rules football
er who played with the West Coast Eagles
and the Melbourne Football Club
in the Australian Football League
(AFL). After his AFL career ended, Smoker also played for Williamstown
in the Victorian Football League
(VFL) and West Perth
in the Western Australian Football League (WAFL).
. He played his junior football with Kulin/Kondinin, before moving to Perth and boarding
at Scotch College
. Smoker played school football for Scotch and represented Western Australia at the 1994 AFL National Under 18 Championships
(then named the Commonwealth Bank Cup).
. At 17 years of age, West Coast hoped that he would develop into a "top-line" player. In his first season, Smoker did not play an AFL match instead spending the season in the WAFL, playing for West Perth. He played 19 games in 1996 and kicked 26 goals. Smoker also spent his next season, 1997, playing for West Perth. During his time playing at West Perth, Smoker also pursued a career as an agricultural consultant. Although he did not get a match for West Coast, Smoker did win West Perth's leading goalkicker award, kicking 34 goals for the season. Due to his inability to get a game in a strong West Coast side and his good form for the Falcons, Smoker was the subject of trade interest from other AFL clubs at the end of 1997, with Melbourne emerging as his most likely destination, as they were interested in his "pace and goalkicking ability".
. Smoker made his AFL debut in the first round of the 1998 season. He played the first 14 of Melbourne's games, including a round 3 performance against Brisbane
where he kicked four goals, including two in the last quarter. Smoker was dropped for the Demons' round 14 match against West Coast and named as an emergency. Smoker did play, but had a disappointing match against his told team, only having one disposal for the match. He was dropped for Melbourne's next game. He made his way back into the team for Melbourne's round 18 match against Brisbane and he played the following week against Carlton before being dropped for round 20. While playing a reserves match, was suspended one week for striking. Smoker did not play another senior game for Melbourne in 1998, although he was "on the edge of selection" during their finals campaign and was twice named as an emergency.
Following his sixteen games in 1998, Smoker's 1999 season can only be described as a disappointment. Although occasionally named in Melbourne's squad, he played only one game in Melbourne's "disasterous season". After a poor 1999, Smoker was delisted by the Demons at season's end in a "significant list turnover", having played 17 games for Melbourne in two years.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
er who played with the West Coast Eagles
West Coast Eagles
The West Coast Eagles are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League. The club is based in Perth, Western Australia. The club was founded in 1986 and played its first games in the 1987 season. Its current home ground is Subiaco Oval...
and the Melbourne Football Club
Melbourne Football Club
The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League , based in Melbourne, Victoria....
in the Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
(AFL). After his AFL career ended, Smoker also played for Williamstown
Williamstown Football Club
The Williamstown Football Club, nicknamed The Seagulls, is an Australian rules football club based in Melbourne and are currently playing in the Victorian Football League...
in the Victorian Football League
Victorian Football League
The Victorian Football League which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association , taking its new name as from the 1996 season, is the premier Australian rules football league in Victoria The Victorian Football League (VFL) which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association...
(VFL) and West Perth
West Perth Football Club
The West Perth Football Club, nicknamed the Falcons, is an Australian rules football club located in Joondalup, Western Australia, competing in the West Australian Football League . It is the oldest existing Australian rules football club in Western Australia. It competes in the West Australian...
in the Western Australian Football League (WAFL).
Early life
Born on 4 April 1978, Smoker grew up on a farm outside of the rural West Australian town of KondininKondinin, Western Australia
Kondinin is a town located in the Eastern Wheatbelt region of Western Australia, east of the state capital, Perth via the Brookton Highway and State Route 40 between Corrigin and Hyden. It is the main town in the Shire of Kondinin...
. He played his junior football with Kulin/Kondinin, before moving to Perth and boarding
Boarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
at Scotch College
Scotch College, Perth
Scotch College , is one of Australia's leading independent schools for boys, situated in Swanbourne, Western Australia, Australia. The school is a member of the Public Schools Association and is now a Uniting Church school, although it was founded in 1897 by the Presbyterian Church of Australia...
. Smoker played school football for Scotch and represented Western Australia at the 1994 AFL National Under 18 Championships
AFL National Under 18 Championships
The NAB AFL Under 18 Championships are the annual national Australian rules football championships for players aged 18 years or younger. The competition is seen as one of the main pathways towards being drafted into a team in the fully professional Australian Football League...
(then named the Commonwealth Bank Cup).
West Coast
Smoker, a "rover in every sense of the word", was drafted by the West Coast Eagles with the 30th selection in the 1995 AFL Draft1995 AFL Draft
The 1995 AFL Draft was held at the conclusion of the 1995 Australian Football League season.The AFL Draft is the annual draft of new unsigned players by Australian rules football clubs that participate in the main competition of that sport, the Australian Football League.Clubs receive picks based...
. At 17 years of age, West Coast hoped that he would develop into a "top-line" player. In his first season, Smoker did not play an AFL match instead spending the season in the WAFL, playing for West Perth. He played 19 games in 1996 and kicked 26 goals. Smoker also spent his next season, 1997, playing for West Perth. During his time playing at West Perth, Smoker also pursued a career as an agricultural consultant. Although he did not get a match for West Coast, Smoker did win West Perth's leading goalkicker award, kicking 34 goals for the season. Due to his inability to get a game in a strong West Coast side and his good form for the Falcons, Smoker was the subject of trade interest from other AFL clubs at the end of 1997, with Melbourne emerging as his most likely destination, as they were interested in his "pace and goalkicking ability".
Melbourne
Smoker was traded to Melbourne for the 34th selection in the 1997 AFL Draft1997 AFL Draft
The 1997 AFL Draft was held at the conclusion of the 1997 Australian Football League season. A pre-season draft was also held prior to the 1998 season....
. Smoker made his AFL debut in the first round of the 1998 season. He played the first 14 of Melbourne's games, including a round 3 performance against Brisbane
Brisbane Lions
The Brisbane Lions is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Brisbane, Queensland. The club was formed from the merger of the Brisbane Bears and the Fitzroy Lions in 1996...
where he kicked four goals, including two in the last quarter. Smoker was dropped for the Demons' round 14 match against West Coast and named as an emergency. Smoker did play, but had a disappointing match against his told team, only having one disposal for the match. He was dropped for Melbourne's next game. He made his way back into the team for Melbourne's round 18 match against Brisbane and he played the following week against Carlton before being dropped for round 20. While playing a reserves match, was suspended one week for striking. Smoker did not play another senior game for Melbourne in 1998, although he was "on the edge of selection" during their finals campaign and was twice named as an emergency.
Following his sixteen games in 1998, Smoker's 1999 season can only be described as a disappointment. Although occasionally named in Melbourne's squad, he played only one game in Melbourne's "disasterous season". After a poor 1999, Smoker was delisted by the Demons at season's end in a "significant list turnover", having played 17 games for Melbourne in two years.
VFL career
After being delisted by Melbourne, Smoker began playing with Williamstown in the VFL. He played with the Seagulls for six season, from 2000 to 2005, totalling 94 senior VFL games. During his time with Williamstown, Smoker won a VFL premiership in 2003, was acting captain for a match in 2004 and, although he played in the seniors for the majority of the season, a VFL reserves premiership in 2005.WAFL career
After winning the VFL reserves premiership, Smoker returned to Western Australia to play for his old club, West Perth, for the 2006 season. Smoker played from West Perth from 2005 to 2009, playing his 100th game in his last season. During his time with West Perth he also worked for Underground Services. Retiring at the end of 2009, Smoker finished his WAFL career having played 105 games, for a return of 104 goals.External links
- Craig Smoker's profile on WAFL Online