Seeing the supremely talented No. 10 return to the Kangaroos jumper was pleasing enough, but his contribution to his side’s eight-goal win was an added bonus.
However, the 21-year-old wasn’t overly enthused by his first senior display for 2008.
"It’s funny, a lot of people have said to me that I did okay coming back but personally I felt like I struggled a little bit," Smith told kangaroosfc.com.au
Smith knows he will only be better for the run in the weeks ahead, as he took time to adjust to the tempo of AFL football and was caught with the ball on one or two occasions early in the contest.
"I get very angry when things like that happen to me, so that was pretty disappointing to get caught," he said.
"I think just getting your head adjusted back to the pace [is difficult], coming back from VFL level because the last AFL game I played was back in September."
That was North Melbourne’s disastrous preliminary final loss to Port Adelaide, although Smith's efforts against Hawthorn a week earlier were a highlight of the club's finals campaign.
Touted for some time as a future star, Smith made a serious impact with a best on ground performance in the 33-point win over the Hawks.
On that night he gathered 27 disposals, was effective with most and provided a calm head on a night when the heat was well and truly on.
Following a successful 2007, in which he played 19 matches, the sky was seemingly the limit.
While the memory of his horrendous ankle injury of 2006 still lingered, the worst seemed behind him until soreness returned during pre-season training.
Smith was forced to miss two months as he endured complications from his initial ankle problem.
His preparations for 2008 became low impact, with most of his efforts put into cycling and swimming.
Even now, as he aims skyward, Smith knows his injury history will encourage a more careful approach to his workload.
"It’s just something I have to manage from week to week," he said.
"I’ve just got to look after it [the ankle] the best I can … I’ve got a very good idea on how I can do that now.
"I don’t think it’s going to hold me back too much from playing games.
"I’m obviously going to be on a modified program for the rest of my career but, in terms of playing, I can get up week to week as long as I look after it properly and don’t do too much during the week."
Just how much Smith does on game day, at least running wise, is also a talking point among Roos fans and the coaching staff.
While he has spent most of his early days in the back half, he is likely to spend more and more time up the ground as his career progresses.
Against Melbourne last weekend, he moved between half back and the wing – which he expects to be a regular occurrence.
"I think at the moment I could be going in between [both]," he said.
"I’m starting to get where I want to be fitness wise, but it’ll depend where Dean wants to play me and what particular match we’ve got week to week as to where I play.
"I definitely would like to play in the midfield but I like playing half back as well.
"I’ve been working with a couple of the coaches, with an assistant coach Danny Daly as well as with Darren Crocker, as to what my roles can be week to week.
"Having played half back last year I’ve got a fair idea as to what I’m supposed to be doing back there, but I just need to brush up on a couple of things on the wing because I didn’t play a whole lot of wing last year."
