FOUR years after departing Gold Coast for Geelong, ruckman Zac Smith will return to the Suns in the coming days.
AFL.com.au understands the 29-year-old has agreed to join his original club with a deal to be finalised between the Suns and Cats before Wednesday's Telstra AFL Trade Period deadline.
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The 206cm big man will accept a two-year deal at the Suns.
Following the retirement of Tom Nicholls, the Suns had been scouring the market for a readymade ruckman to support No.1 big man and co-captain Jarrod Witts.
Smith's arrival will also ensure that developing key forward Ben King – who re-signed until 2022 on Monday – can focus solely on playing forward should Witts suffer an injury.
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As reported last week, the out-of-contract Smith was weighing up interest from the Suns and Essendon but decided on the Suns to return to his native Queensland.
It is expected his role will also include a development and mentoring position post-football.
Zac Smith spent five seasons at the Suns. Picture: AFL Photos
Smith joined the Cats at the end of 2015 in exchange for picks 49 and 53 and immediately became the Cats' No.1 ruckman after the departure of Hamish McIntosh.
After 65 games in five seasons at the Suns, Smith played 44 games in his first two years at Geelong.
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The emergence of Rhys Stanley reduced Smith to three matches in 2018, before he was also kept to just three games in 2019.
Geelong's ruck stocks heading into 2020 will now include Stanley, Ryan Abbott and Darcy Fort with assistance from Esava Ratugolea.
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