Australian Football

Darren Smith was a key position forward capable of moments of explosive brilliance. He seemed to possess all the attributes necessary to succeed in the AFL, but his career in that competition, with Adelaide, was comparatively brief and largely, although not wholly, unmemorable. In 1991 he was included in fledgling AFL club Adelaide's inaugural squad of players but he managed just nine games in two seasons.

Most of his career was spent playing for Port Adelaide in the SANFL, whom he joined from Rudall. Between 1984 and 1998 Smith played 343 senior games for the Magpies, a tally bettered only by Russell Ebert's 392. A full forward early in his career, Smith topped Port's goal kicking list in 1986 with 49 goals and 1987 with 71. However, he arguably played his best football at centre half forward, where his agility, strength, aerial ability and penetrative kicking garnered comparisons with Stephen Kernahan.

Throughout his career in the SANFL he continued to prove an invaluable player to Port, particularly during finals matches. He was a member of Magpie premiership sides in 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1995 and 1996. When Port announced its official 'Greatest Team 1870 to 2000', it would not have been unreasonable to expect to see Darren Smith's name among the 23 luminaries chosen. However, with an unrivalled surfeit of riches from which to choose, the team's selectors went for Les Dayman at centre half forward and included some half a dozen other players of Smith's type elsewhere in the line up.

Author - John Devaney