AFTER a year of uncertainty, luckless Western Bulldogs youngster Roarke Smith can see his promising career taking a turn for the better in 2018.
The 21-year-old, who has played just two career games, has endured two knee reconstructions since late 2015, with the latest mishap occurring during last year's JLT Community Series.
Then, after three years on the rookie list, Smith had to be delisted and redrafted under AFL rules at the end of last season if the Dogs wanted him to remain at Whitten Oval.
With the club keeping their promise of reselecting him as rookie, the athletic defender is rejuvenated and eyeing one of the positions vacated by retired club greats Robert Murphy and Matthew Boyd.
"I was over the moon to be redrafted after a stressful year of not being able to prove myself on the field," Smith told AFL.com.au from the club's training camp in Mooloolaba.
"I just tried to show the club my dedication with my rehabilitation, but (the coaches) obviously see something in me, and I don’t want to let them down.
"I'll probably start the season with a few games in the VFL, but by mid-year I can see myself on a half-back flank (in the senior side).
"But there are a lot of young boys at the club who really need to step up with 'Bob' and 'Boydy' gone."
Smith will be vying for those spots with a host of teammates, as former Docker Hayden Crozier and draftee Ed Richards have also been earmarked as running defenders alongside regulars Jason Johannisen, Shane Biggs and Bailey Williams.
Smith will compete free of any mental scares from his injury misfortune, with his return to full training this week completed without concern for his left knee.
"We had a practice match yesterday, which was my first one (of the pre-season), and I didn't even think about my knee at all," he said.
"After doing a second knee you know a lot more, and I've had a few of the boys at the club who have done ACLs supporting me.
"I've done a few tests and the results have come back that my legs are a lot stronger than they were, so hopefully that's the end of it all."
While he has been compared to his captain Easton Wood due to his athleticism and knack of taking an intercept mark, he also shares similar attributes to Bulldog great and club development manager Rohan Smith.
Smith was a trailblazer for the modern-day defensive playmaker, characteristically rebounding off half-back during 300 games in the red, white and blue.
"I'm pretty close with Rohan and have learnt a lot off him," Roarke Smith said.
"He was a superstar who played 300 games for our club and played a similar way to the way I do, so his tips have come in real handy."
A gifted and passionate skateboarder, Smith didn't need the Dogs to warn him of the perils of sport with a history of accidents.
"I've put my skateboard in the wardrobe for a bit and it will come back out when I've finished football," he said.
"I definitely miss it; all my friends still do it and sometimes I watch them go for skate.
"It's not worth the risk because I'd rather be playing footy any day of the week."
