De La Salle locks in former AFL player Josh Smith
Another former AFL player has made the jump to the amateur ranks, with a one-time Magpie and Eagle signing with De La Salle for 2020.
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Twelve months after first approaching him, De La Salle has landed former AFL player Josh Smith as a marquee recruit for the 2020 VAFA Premier B season.
De La first made contact with Smith after he came off the list at Collingwood last year, where he spent three seasons.
The club was confident of gaining him, only for West Coast to swoop on the defender at the rookie draft.
He played two games for the Eagles this year before being delisted.
Smith has now joined De La Salle College’s staff and will play for the VAFA club as it takes stock after being relegated from the Premier grade.
Smith is the latest in a number of former AFL players to jump to the amateurs.
The 25-year-old played 32 matches for the Magpies after being taken in the 2016 rookie draft. The former Queenslander finished seventh in Collingwood’s best and fairest in his first year in the AFL.
“He’s ready to launch himself into the next part of his life and his career, and play football with our club,’’ De La president Matt O’Callaghan said.
“The school’s delighted to have him and so are we. He’s a super kid, and it’s not every day you pick up a player straight out of the AFL.’’
He said Smith’s arrival was a boost for the club as it “regrouped’’.
“We’re really buoyant. We’re adamant that we’re going down to B to improve the way we play footy at a slightly lesser standard,’’ O’Callaghan said.
“We’re hellbent on getting back to A in 2021.
“Up until now we’d been in A grade for the second longest consecutive number of years (14), after Xavier. That’s the longest stint the club’s had in A grade. Now we didn’t take home the silverware – in that time we lost one grand final and we lost one prelim – but we’ve been up there.
“We’ve invested heavily in recruiting because you’ve got to match what the top clubs are doing or you’re going to find yourself down in B and C grade.’’
De La Salle is poised to add another former AFL player to its ranks, with ex-Demon Jordie McKenzie training and likely to be appointed an assistant to senior coach Peter Schwab.
McKenzie has had issues with concussion and it’s unclear if he will play.
Schwab’s son Michael has also made the move from Collegians.
In another lifter, former senior coach Dave Madigan has returned to the club as an assistant after a stint in charge of Eastern league club Knox.
Madigan, who guided Knox to the 2015 Division 2 flag, led De La from 20007-10.
He will serve as strategy coach next year.
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De La Salle will also enjoy an influx of under-19s players into senior ranks next season.
It fielded three under-19 teams this year, one of them strictly a schoolboys team.
“The ACC boys play eight games on a Wednesday, and at that age they’re still looking for a game on the weekend,’’ O’Callaghan said.
“It’s been the perfect outlet for them to get together with their Year 12 and 11 mates and play footy together, sometimes for the first time. It’s fantastic for our club, having that Colts team.’’