This weekend, one of the Club’s most reliable back-men, Adam Smith, plays his 100^th open-age game for the Pennant Hills Demons.

Adam joined Penno in 2013, as a mature-age recruit, age 29. 2020 is his 8^th consecutive season with the Demons.

With the prospect of his upcoming milestone, I realised that I knew nothing of Adam’s previous football experience, I even thought he may have come from another code. As it turns out, he comes from a family with an excellent Australian Rules pedigree as his dad, a “gun footy player” in his day, had on more than one occasion been invited to train with the Carlton Blues but injury brought about an early end to his footy career at age 28. Adam also has two brothers who have played senior football, the younger one has won the B&F 5 times and, he thinks, his older brother has played over 200 games for the local club, Talbot FC (The Hawks). The town of Talbot is located in the Central Highlands District, north of Ballarat in the Victorian goldfields.

 

As a youngster, about 10 years of age, Adam first played footy for the ‘‘ … Wallabies U/13s in the Maryborough Mini League. He played 51 U/17 games at Talbot FC in the Maryborough Castlemaine League, won a club best and fairest and was also a runner up.’’ He says that he ‘’… played 167 senior games at Talbot, won 2 premierships in 2001 and 2002. He won a club B&F in Reserves and was also a Runner-up.” He was also Runner-up in the League’s Reserve Grade competition. He also played two seasons at Clunes FNC in the Central Highlands District League.

 

When he came to Penno he played several seasons in Reserve Grade and was a member of the side that lost to Sydney University by 1 point in the 2015 Division One Grand Final. Since 2017, he has played mostly in the third grade side and was a member of the team that won the 2018 Division One Flag. In probably his finest moment at Penno, Adam was declared the Best on Ground in the Grand Final.

As a junior he was a rover and has played various positions (forward flank, wing, half back and tagger) during his senior career. At Penno he has found his spot in the backline, holding down the key position of full back or centre halfback with the Reserves and Third grade teams. He’s a good kick and reliable overhead, quick enough for a man of his age and reads the play very well. His style is in the mould of the re-bounding backman as he loves running the ball and kicking out of defence. Off-field, he has a quiet disposition but on-field he is a general in the backline, organising the back six into a formidable defensive unit.

 

At Penno, Adam is generally addressed as simply ‘Smithy’ but he says that during his time playing in Victoria he acquired the nickname ‘Bullseye’, “… after getting my head split open right between the eyes in 2005.”

 

On behalf of everyone at Pennant Hills we wish Adam the best of luck for his 100 game milestone match and congratulate him on another significant achievement in his playing career!

 

Go Penno!

 

 

 

ADAM SMITH – CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
Games Played
Open-age 100 (2013 – 2020) (8 seasons)		51 Reserve Grade 47 Third Grade 2 Lower Grade
Pennant Hills Premierships
Third Grade – Division One		2018
Awards
Best on Ground in Grand Final – Division One Best Team Man/Best Finals Player – Division One Player’s Player – Division One (Reserve Grade)		2018 2018 2013
Previous Football
Talbot FC – Maryborough Castlemaine League Clunes FNC – Central Highlands District League

 

 

ADAM SMITH – MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
	Division One Grand Final 2018 – Blacktown ISP – 14 September 2013 Pennant Hills 8.6-54 defeated Sydney University 6.10-46 Adam Smith – Best on Ground – Penno BST #2