Nigel Smart

Nigel James Smart (born 21 May 1969) is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Adelaide Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).[1] Smart played most of his career in defence and became a crowd favourite, easily identifiable with his bald head and goatee.

This article is about the Australian rules footballer. For the cryptographer, see Nigel Smart (cryptographer).

Nigel Smart
Personal information
Full name Nigel Smart
Date of birth (1969-05-21) 21 May 1969
Original team(s) Christies Beach (SFL)
South Adelaide (SANFL)
Height 188 cm (6 ft 2 in)
Weight 91 kg (14 st 5 lb; 201 lb)
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1991–2004 Adelaide 278 (116)
Representative team honours
Years Team Games (Goals)
South Australia
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2004.
Career highlights

Club

Representative

Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Career

Smart made his senior debut in 1988 in the SANFL with South Adelaide Football Club while studying geography and politics at Flinders University.[2] He was also a member of the Adelaide Crows squad for their inaugural season in 1991. Smart was named at full-back for Adelaide's Round One match against Hawthorn, going up against superstar full-forward Jason Dunstall.[3] On his AFL debut, Smart collected six kicks, nine handballs and grabbed six marks.

At the end of the 1991 season, Smart would become Adelaide's first ever All-Australian, selected in the Back pocket.

One of the most famous incidents attributed to Smart's career was during the 1992 pre-season, when the Crows organised a session to walk over hot coals. Smart suffered severe burns to his feet but returned to play football soon after.[4]

Smart was one of the key players in Adelaide's resurgence under Malcolm Blight, and in the 1997 AFL Grand Final against St Kilda, he had the honour of kicking the final goal of the match as Adelaide won their first AFL premiership. He was also a member of the Crows team which won the 1998 AFL Grand Final; the Crows becoming the first team since Hawthorn in 1988 and 1989 to win back-to-back premierships.

Statistics
[5]
Legend
 G  Goals  B  Behinds  K  Kicks  H  Handballs  D  Disposals  M  Marks  T  Tackles
Season Team No. Games Totals Averages (per game)
G B K H D M T G B K H D M T
1991 Adelaide 7202113912326247280.10.17.06.213.12.41.4
1992 Adelaide 7170213110924035310.00.17.76.414.12.11.8
1993 Adelaide 722231722013635681381.00.810.06.216.23.71.7
1994 Adelaide 71713191238721056220.81.17.25.112.43.31.3
1995 Adelaide 72214618915234159490.60.38.66.915.52.72.2
1996 Adelaide 7227820811632455570.30.49.55.314.72.52.6
1997 Adelaide 7221382538834184470.60.411.54.015.53.82.1
1998 Adelaide 724131230412242688800.50.512.75.117.83.73.3
1999 Adelaide 721121021711733469300.60.510.35.615.93.31.4
2000 Adelaide 7183117811529358280.20.19.96.416.33.21.6
2001 Adelaide 72371122313335678430.30.59.75.815.53.41.9
2002 Adelaide 7233315010925963440.10.16.54.711.32.71.9
2003 Adelaide 7213513312525857360.10.26.36.012.32.71.7
2004 Adelaide 763135215614110.50.25.83.59.32.31.8
Career 278 0.4 0.4 2503 1553 4056 844 544 131 116 9.0 5.6 14.6 3.0 2.0

Post career

After his retirement from football, Smart was an unsuccessful candidate for the Liberal Party for the electoral district of Norwood in the 2006 South Australian state election.[6] He also lived briefly in Canada and France with family, then completed an MBA at the University of Adelaide.[2]

Smart has been a member of the Crows' board since 2005, and assumed the role of Deputy Chairman for the 2009. On 1 March 2013, Smart became the Chief Operating Officer of the Adelaide Football Club.[7]

References
  1. "Nigel Smart". Footy Wire. Retrieved 23 January 2010.
  2. "10 minutes with... Adelaide Football Club's Nigel Smart". InDaily. 27 November 2016. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
  3. Milbank, Zac (24 March 2011). "Smart effort against mighty Dunstall". The Advertiser.
  4. Connolly, Rohan. "ROCO'S HIGH 5 EXOTIC FOOTY INJURIES". www.sen.com.au. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
  5. Nigel Smart's player profile at AFL Tables
  6. Antony Green (26 April 2006). "Norwood Electorate Profile". 2006 South Australian Election. ABC News Online. Retrieved 23 January 2010.
  7. "AFC Website". New Crows role for Smart.
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