The Bulldogs took athletic defender Roarke Smith from the Calder Cannons with their first pick in the 2014 NAB AFL Rookie Draft (No. 5 overall)
At 182cm, Smith brings pace and an impressive left foot and is known for his close-checking style.
Smith is an athletic, medium sized defender with a capacity to go into the midfield, that has a proven ability to play above his height.
An impressive vertical leap is a standout feature amongst Smith’s attributes, and has shown he’s more than adept at winning his own ball.
Smith was a member of the Calder Cannons’ 2014 TAC Cup Grand Final side.
Smith debut in Round 21, 2015 against the West Coast Eagles before suffering a knee injury at VFL level that ended his season.
After missing the first half of 2016 rehabilitating from the knee reconstruction, Smith worked his way back into the senior line-up for the Round 22 clash against Essendon. That was to be his only senior game of the year, however he was a strong contributor to the Footscray Bulldogs’ finals run and eventual premiership win.
Draft History: Pick 5 2014 AFL Rookie Draft (Western Bulldogs)