‘Smocker’ no shocker: The unlikely rise of Richmond forward Jake Aarts
After seven seasons in the VFL, Richmond’s Jake Aarts is making the most of his belated chance to play in the AFL. Former Bendigo teammates are chuffed for the “great teammate” they called ‘Smocker’.
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At Bendigo Gold, they called him “Smocker’’.
As in art smock.
More than his nickname, teammates remember Jake Aarts for his tenacity and toughness.
He was only a little fellow, 177cm, but he was game and “as hard as nails’’, former VFL Gold captain Steve Stroobants remembers.
Aarts had just turned 18 when he joined Bendigo in 2013, following coach Aussie Jones from Beaconsfield.
Seven years later, he’s playing in Richmond’s AFL team, and former Gold players are relishing watching Aarts make a good go of his belated chance at the highest level.
“Funny little bloke, he loved a joke, tenacious – the type of footy he played for the size of him, I’ve never seen anyone want body contact more or apply tackling pressure more than he did – and he was always playing undersized, but he just didn’t care,’’ Stroobants recalled.
“Great teammate to have because of the way he went about it. Worked his butt off. All the boys loved him because of how he was around the club. He’s a legend, ‘Aartsy’.’’
Aarts linked with Richmond’s VFL team when the Gold dropped out of the state league at the end of 2014.
The Tigers rewarded him for four dedicated seasons by adding him to their rookie list for 2019.
But he had to wait until this year to make his AFL debut at the age of 25, with 81 VFL matches behind him.
Contacted last Thursday, former St Kilda star Jones said he was getting a thrill watching Aarts play for the Tigers as a pressure-bearing small forward.
Jones was coaching Beaconsfield in 2012 when he encountered Aarts playing under-age football at the club. He was young, small and slight, but Jones decided to play him in the senior team.
“I just said, ‘We’ve got to get this kid in the ones, he’s too good to be playing in the ‘unders’,’’ Jones recalled. “Because he was a see ball-get ball kid, there were a few worries he might get injured. But he walked into senior footy, absolutely no worries.’’
When Jones got the Bendigo coaching position he encouraged Aarts to follow him to the regional city.
He stayed with Jones and his family, living in an old garage the coach fitted out with plaster and power.
Later he moved in with teammates Matt Farrelly and Galen Munari. He stays in touch with the Gold players.
“It was a pretty easy call for me to take him to Bendigo, because I’d seen his work ethic and I knew what he would do if he got the opportunity,’’ Jones said.
“The best way to describe Jake is, if you give him a task, he’ll do it even if no one’s watching, to absolute maximum capacity. Some people can drop off if there are no eyes on them but Jake had that work ethic and that passion to play at the level.
“It took him a while – there were probably a couple of knocks on his kicking – but now people see him play and they see that aggression and hardness … he’s a real competitor, mate.’’
Jones thinks Aarts was still eligible to play in the NAB League when he joined Bendigo, but he was never in TAC Cup calculations.
He went to Bendigo with no promises he would make the list but he presented superbly and trained fanatically.
Gold officials agreed with their new coach that the “Beacy boy’’ was worth going with. He played mostly on a wing and at half forward.
“Geez he was tough. Hard as nails,’’ Stroobants said. “Didn’t care who was in his way, if the ball was there, he was going for it.’’
Transferring to Richmond, Aarts developed into a specialist small forward, valuing tackles, chases and shepherds as much as goals.
He didn’t top any possession counts, but he did make his pressure count.
“He’s a persistent little bugger … he always wanted to better himself,’’ Tigers VFL assistant coach Marc Sophoulis said last Friday.
“He’s the same person now as he was when he came to the club, in that he’s hardworking, does everything for his teammates, very selfless, wants to play his role for the team, never wants to be the standout player. That’s what he’s taken into the AFL. He’s a great leader through actions.’’
Sophoulis said Aarts would go to VFL training straight from his work as a chippie and stay on for “extras’’.
Aarts made his AFL debut against Melbourne in Round 5 and has played every game since. He’s kicked at least one goal in his past five matches.
Jones and Stroobants are tuning in.
“It’s a great story. I’m sort of living my old career through him,’’ Jones said. “I just love watching him play, because I know how much he earned it.’’
Stroobants said: “I’m not a Richmond supporter. But ‘Smocker’ might end up converting me!’’
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