Brodie Smith could be back for Adelaide Crows finals tilt, says backline coach Ben Hart

ADELAIDE is optimistic injured star defender Brodie Smith can play a meaningful role in its 2018 premiership campaign.

Brodie Smith hits the deck after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament against GWS in last year’s qualifying final. Picture: Sarah Reed

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ADELAIDE is optimistic injured star defender Brodie Smith can play a meaningful role in its 2018 premiership campaign.

Once feared to be lost for the season after he ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in last year’s qualifying final against GWS, Smith is making good progress in his recovery and is a strong chance to return in August.

This would give him an opportunity to regain form and match fitness before the Crows likely begin a fourth consecutive finals series in September.

Brodie Smith at Crows preseason training. He has made steady progress as he recovers from a knee reconstruction. Picture: Calum Robertson

While Adelaide is refusing to pinpoint a timeline for defensive playmaker Smith’s return, new backline coach Ben Hart revealed he is on track to play this season.

“He’s really in the mix for playing again this year,’’ Hart told The Advertiser.

“We can’t give an exact date but certainly there is a fair bit of hope and optimism that Brodie will come back into our side for the pointy end of the season.

“In a perfect world we would get him back a few weeks before the finals because I don’t think anyone can come back from nearly a year out and be asked to go straight into a final and play well.

“You need a little run into it so ideally that will happen. Our plan is that he just continues to progress with his rehabilitation with some hope that he will be able to get back at some stage.’’

Smith this month returned from a trip to the United States, where he consulted world-renowned rehabilitation specialist Bill Knowles in Philadelphia while also watching the NFL Super Bowl and some NBA games.

Hurt at the 11-minute mark of the first quarter of the September 7 final against the Giants at Adelaide Oval when his knee buckled under him as he attempted to tackle Josh Kelly, Smith has resumed full running and some ball work.

The 26-year-old is refusing to “put a number’’ on his return date but is desperate to “get back as quickly as possible’’.

Hart said now that long-kicking rebounder Smith has “overcome the shock and disappointment of his injury’’ he is fully focused on playing a part in Adelaide’s pursuit of a first AFL premiership since 1998.

“Brodie’s got himself into a position where he's just ready to work,’’ he said.

“He’s progressing nicely and has just got to keep ticking the boxes along the way. Hopefully we can get him back because he’s been fantastic for a number of years and gives us that drive and run from half-back.

“He’s a guy that opposition teams almost have to put work into because of his playmaking ability so we’d love to get him back because he’s very valuable to the way we want to play.’’

An All-Australian in 2014, Smith has played 143 games for the Crows since being drafted at pick 14 at the 2010 national draft.

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