IT'Sfair to say that a lot has happened in recent times for new Brisbane Lionsrookie Phil Smith.

Inthe past month he has left the Tullamarine home he grew up in, boarded a planefor only the second time in his life, moved to Brisbane, started lodging withJonathan Brown and begun an AFL career under the tutelage of Lions coach LeighMatthews.

"I’dspent 18 years living in the same house in Melbourne so it’s all been a bit ofa surprise," Smith told lions.com.au.

"Inominated for both [the NAB AFL and Rookie) drafts but I wasn’t too confidentof being picked up because of all the injuries I’d had last year.

"Ispoke to the Lions earlier in the year but not close to draft time so it wasgreat to end up here – something I’d been hoping for."

Smithmarks a rare venture outside Queensland for the Lions in the rookie draft, withthe 187cm Calder product becoming the club’s first Victorian rookie sinceTravis Baird in 2004.

The18-year-old defender had been training with Hawthorn in the lead-up to therookie draft and will be hoping for better luck at the Gabba than heexperienced during an injury-plagued 2007 TAC Cup campaign.

"Ihad a really frustrating year," Smith explained.

"Firstof all, in the pre-season, I had osteitis pubis and then once I’d got thatright I came back and strained my calf.

"Irecovered from the calf and came back and broke my hand and then, once that wasright, I injured a knee.

"I’mnot too sure how my injury history will affect my pre-season but I think I willbe monitored a fair bit."

Smithadmitted to some initial trepidation at lining up alongside the likes of Brownand Simon Black, while being coached by four-time premiership mentor Matthews.

Butmoving to Brisbane and sharing digs with Brown have eased those early nerves.

"Theshort time I’ve been living with Browny has already been a big learningexperience for me – just watching the way he goes about things," Smithsaid.

"He’slooked after me really well."