Les Smith
Geelong
AFL career
123 games17 goals
- Debut
- R18 1921 v MEL17 Sept 1921
- Most recent
- R17 1929 v ESS24 Aug 1929
Stats
Bio
Recruited from local club Newtown, Les Smith became a defensive staple for the Pivotonians throughout the 1920s. While he initially cut his teeth as a wingman and rover, he eventually found his true calling in the back pocket, where his reliability and reading of the play made him a first-choice defender. His ability to adapt from a running on-baller to a lockdown small defender highlighted a versatility that kept him in the senior side for nearly a decade.
Smith's career reached its pinnacle during the historic 1925 season, where he etched his name into Geelong folklore. In a year where the club secured its maiden VFL premiership, Smith was a model of durability, standing as one of only five players to feature in all 19 matches. He took his place in the back pocket on Grand Final day against Collingwood, helping restrict the Magpies in a famous ten-point victory. A consistent performer who rarely missed a game during his prime, he remains celebrated as a vital member of the club's breakthrough flag side.
Profile
- Full name
- Les M. Smith
- Born
- 28 May 1900
- Died
- 12 Jan 1975 (aged 74y 229d)
- Birthplace
- Murchison, VIC
- Deathplace
- Geelong, VIC
- Height
- 173 cm
- Weight
- 72 kg
Teams
Honours
- Premiership1925
Bio
1 revisionRecruited from local club Newtown, Les Smith became a defensive staple for the Pivotonians throughout the 1920s. While he initially cut his teeth as a wingman and rover, he eventually found his true calling in the back pocket, where his reliability and reading of the play made him a first-choice defender. His ability to adapt from a running on-baller to a lockdown small defender highlighted a versatility that kept him in the senior side for nearly a decade.
Smith's career reached its pinnacle during the historic 1925 season, where he etched his name into Geelong folklore. In a year where the club secured its maiden VFL premiership, Smith was a model of durability, standing as one of only five players to feature in all 19 matches. He took his place in the back pocket on Grand Final day against Collingwood, helping restrict the Magpies in a famous ten-point victory. A consistent performer who rarely missed a game during his prime, he remains celebrated as a vital member of the club's breakthrough flag side.