Essendon midfielder Devon Smith to play pre-season games after recovering from knee surgery

SuperCoaches rejoice! One of 2020’s most-popular mid-priced options says he’s enjoying his best pre-season in four years and on track to return to his best from Round 1.

Devon Smith is enjoying his best pre-season in four years in a positive sign for 2020.

Essendon playmaker Devon Smith says he is enjoying his most productive and painless season in four years after undergoing major knee surgery last year.

Smith’s season was cut short in Round 8 last year when the goal kicking midfielder had a reconstruction on his posterior cruciate ligament completed by knee specialist Dr Julian Feller.

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While the former Giant said it was disappointing to miss the bulk of last year, Smith is moving well and firmly on track to play pre-season games in preparation for the season-opener against Fremantle at Marvel Stadium.

“The timing of it last year was not great but I have been carrying it for four or five years, so this is probably the most I have completed of the pre-season for about four or five years,” Smith said.

“So I am actually feeling really good.

“I have completed all of the sessions and have got my eyes on Round 1.”

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His return is a major boost for the Bombers with high hopes the Geelong Falcons’ product can return to the scintillating form he showed in the forward half in his first season at Essendon when the tackle machine claimed the best and fairest award.

Devon Smith is enjoying his best pre-season in four years in a positive sign for 2020.

Again, he is expected to add a hard edge to the midfield and forward setups as coach-in-waiting Ben Rutten takes more control of the game plan from mentor John Worsfold in 2020.

Smith, 26, said he struggled to watch from the sidelines last year but found ways to contribute.

“It is never fun and I’m not someone who likes watching football, especially at the time we weren’t going too well, so you feel a bit helpless,” he said.

“But I did other things, little bit of coaching, little bit of recruiting stuff, so I found avenues to get better as a person.”

The Bombers have flown up to Coffs Harbour for a pre-season training camp although injured spearhead Joe Daniher will soon leave the team to see his groin specialist in Ireland.

It is hoped the visit can help pave way for Daniher to increase his training load, although the All-Australian is unlikely to be available for Round 1.

Essendon fans will be buoyed by Devon Smith’s progress this off-season.

“Joey is going really well, it has been a bit of a process for him,” Smith said.

“He’s here for a couple of days and then he goes back to Ireland to see the specialist and just get a check up.

“There is no time frame, we are just waiting for Joey to feel right and get better and help us win games of footy.”

The players met with some firefighters from the New South Wales RFS at their training session yesterday to show their gratitude for their incredible efforts fighting the blazes and powering the recovery missions in country areas.

Smith said the bushfire crisis put their football dilemmas into perspective.

“It was just a show of respect,” he said.

“We really appreciate what they’ve done, a lot of them are volunteers and it puts it into perspective for us, because we think we are having a bad day by running 200m and running sprints and stuff, but the reality is they are at the forefront fighting fires for us.”

Originally published as Essendon midfielder Devon Smith to play pre-season games after recovering from knee surgery