HAWTHORN speedster Isaac Smith has re-signed with the Club for two seasons, remaining a Hawk until the end of the 2014 season.
The 23-year-old is in his second season at the highest level, and is excited by the opportunity to play for the Hawks for a further two years.
“For the club to want to sign me for another two years is a great opportunity and hopefully I can deliver on it,” Smith said.
The 188cm midfielder said he is looking forward to expanding his role in the Hawks line-up, with an aim to become a key player in the make-up of the side.
“When I came into the club, I wanted to have an impact on the senior team, and I felt like I did that to an extent last year,” he said
“Hopefully I’m doing it a little bit this year, but each year I just want to keep building on that and provide the club and the team with a different look.”
Despite speculation in AFL circles that Greater Western Sydney were interested, the expansion side was never an option for Smith.
“I never heard anything of it, so there was nothing to consider,” he said.
“I love Hawthorn and hopefully they want me forever.”
Reflecting on the first half of his 2012 season, Smith said that despite being “scratchy early on”, he hopes to make an impact for the Hawks in the second half.
“I’m probably doing what I did last year, or maybe a little bit more,” he said.
“After having another pre-season and developing so many more aspects to my game, I probably should be impacting them a little bit more.
“I’m very excited for the second half of the season and look forward to really attacking it.”
Smith was drafted to the Hawks with pick 19 in the 2010 draft after a stellar season for VFL side, North Ballarat.
The left-footer said that despite his unique path to AFL football, the support of his family ensured he never doubted his ability to find his way into the AFL.
“It’s important to have a positive and energetic outlook on life and in elite sport especially,” he said.
“They (my family) were always pushing me to excel, whether it was in sport, education, life, or even social life.
“It has definitely paid off now but it was good times.”
Kate Salemme is a member of Hawthorn Football Club’s Digital media team reporting exclusively for hawthornfc.com.au from the Ricoh Centre.
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