Bernie Smith
Geelong
AFL career
183 games3 goals
- Debut
- R1 1948 v FIT17 Apr 1948
- Most recent
- R1 1958 v ESS12 Apr 1958
Stats
1958 | GEE | 1 | 0.0 |
1957 | GEE | 18 | 0.0 |
1956 | GEE | 18 | 0.0 |
1955 | GEE | 20 | 0.0 |
1954 | GEE | 20 | 0.0 |
1953 | GEE | 20 | 0.0 |
1952 | GEE | 11 | 0.0 |
1951 | GEE | 20 | 0.0 |
1950 | GEE | 19 | 0.1 |
1949 | GEE | 19 | 0.0 |
1948 | GEE | 17 | 0.1 |
Bio
Recruited from West Adelaide after a standout SANFL premiership campaign, Bernie Smith arrived at Geelong in 1948 with a reputation as a classy centreman. However, his career was defined by a masterstroke from coach Reg Hickey, who shifted him to the back pocket in 1950. Smith revolutionised the role; rather than merely negating his opponent, he used his position as a launchpad for attack, dazzling crowds with his reading of the play and dashing runs out of defence that frequently turned defence into offence.
This attacking flair culminated in a dominant 1951 season where Smith became one of the rare defenders to win the Brownlow Medal. He was a cornerstone of the Cats' golden era, anchoring the defence during their back-to-back premierships in 1951 and 1952 and their record-breaking 23-game winning streak. Renowned for his fairness and skill, Smith captained the club in 1954 and won a second Best and Fairest in 1956. His standing as one of the game's elite was cemented with his selection in the back pocket of the AFL Team of the Century.
Profile
- Born
- 19 Dec 1927
- Died
- 21 Apr 1985 (aged 57y 123d)
- Birthplace
- Adelaide, SA
- Height
- 178 cm
- Weight
- 77 kg
Teams
Honours
- Premiership(2×) 1951, 1952
- Brownlow Medal1951
- Top 10
- 1953, 1956
- Hall of Fame1996
- Geelong B&F(2×) 1951, 1956
- Geelong captain(2×) 1950, 1954
Bio
1 revisionRecruited from West Adelaide after a standout SANFL premiership campaign, Bernie Smith arrived at Geelong in 1948 with a reputation as a classy centreman. However, his career was defined by a masterstroke from coach Reg Hickey, who shifted him to the back pocket in 1950. Smith revolutionised the role; rather than merely negating his opponent, he used his position as a launchpad for attack, dazzling crowds with his reading of the play and dashing runs out of defence that frequently turned defence into offence.
This attacking flair culminated in a dominant 1951 season where Smith became one of the rare defenders to win the Brownlow Medal. He was a cornerstone of the Cats' golden era, anchoring the defence during their back-to-back premierships in 1951 and 1952 and their record-breaking 23-game winning streak. Renowned for his fairness and skill, Smith captained the club in 1954 and won a second Best and Fairest in 1956. His standing as one of the game's elite was cemented with his selection in the back pocket of the AFL Team of the Century.