Archie Smith (footballer, born 1995)

Archie Smith
Smith in April 2019
Personal information
Full name	Archibald Smith
Nickname(s)	Archie, Arch
Date of birth	(1995-07-19) 19 July 1995 (age 28)
Place of birth	Brisbane, Australia
Original team(s)	Mount Gravatt (NEAFL)
Draft	No. 69, Academy selection, 2014 rookie draft
Debut	Round 19, 2016, Brisbane Lions  vs. Port Adelaide, at the Gabba
Height	202 cm (6 ft 8 in)
Weight	105 kg (231 lb)
Position(s)	Ruckman
Playing career1
Years	Club	Games (Goals)
2014–2021	Brisbane Lions	16 (4)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of Round 18, 2020.
Career highlights
3x NEAFL premiership player (Brisbane Lions reserves): 2013, 2017, 2019
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Archibald Smith (born 19 July 1995) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Brisbane Lions in the Australian Football League (AFL).

Early life

Smith was born in Brisbane on 19 July 1995, the son of former NBA and NBL basketball player Andre Moore. Smith himself played junior basketball at an elite level and was courted by multiple Division One colleges in the United States before being scouted by AFL recruiters at the age of 17. ^[1] Despite having no prior Australian rules football experience, Smith drew interest from recruiters due to his supreme athleticism for his size. He attended St Laurence's College in South Brisbane throughout his teenage years. ^[2]

Football career

Smith was drafted by the Brisbane Lions with their third selection and sixty-ninth overall in the 2014 rookie draft as an Academy selection. ^[3] He made his debut against Port Adelaide in round 19, 2016 in a near best-on-ground performance, gathering 19 disposals and 30 hit outs at the Gabba. ^{[4] [5]}

While Smith spent eight years with Brisbane, only three of those were on the senior list, and he was starved for opportunities at the highest level. Playing mostly for Brisbane's reserve team in this time, Smith won three premierships with the Lions in the North East Australian Football League (NEAFL) in 2013, 2017 and 2019. Following the win over Southport in the 2019 NEAFL grand final, he became the first (and subsequently only) player to win three flags at NEAFL level. ^[6]

Personal life

Smith is one of 6 children, with siblings Gemma, Sebastian, Isaac, Abib and Violet. In November 2020, Archie's brother, Sebastian, died by suicide at the age of 21. Subsequently, before every game, Smith wrote his late brother's name on his wrist as a motivational tribute. Smith also advocated for suicide prevention in his brother's memory as an ambassador for Lifeline Australia. ^[7]

Smith announced his retirement from the AFL at the end of the 2021 season, citing a desire to prioritise mental well-being and family. ^[8] He married his longtime partner Sophie in October 2021, and the couple welcomed their first child, Montgomery, in April 2022.

External links

• Archie Smith's profile on the official website of the Brisbane Lions
• Archie Smith's playing statistics from AFL Tables

References

1. Whiting, Michael (1 December 2013). "Son of a gun Archie Smith gives hoop dreams the drop punt". AFL.com.au . Retrieved 26 September 2017.
2. Heslehurst, Brayden (9 November 2016). "Brisbane Lions rising star Archie Smith says tasting AFL football in 2016 has him wanting more". Courier-Mail . Retrieved 8 December 2018.
3. Boswell, Tom (28 November 2013). "Archie Smith has been rookie listed by AFL club Brisbane Lions and likened to Nic Naitanui". Courier Mail.
4. "Player of the Round: Archie Smith". Brisbane Lions . 1 August 2016. Retrieved 5 September 2023.
5. Akers, Trenton (29 July 2016). "Brisbane youngsters Archie Smith and Sam Skinner will feel opposite emotions when the Lions play Port Adelaide". The Courier Mail . News Corp Australia . Retrieved 30 July 2016.
6. Hunter, Ben (19 September 2019). "Triple the fun for history-maker Archie Smith". North East Australian Football League . Archived from the original on 18 March 2020. Retrieved 5 September 2023.
7. Whiting, Michael (18 July 2021). "'He's what I do it for': Archie Smith opens up on devastating year". AFL.com.au . Retrieved 5 September 2023.
8. Whiting, Michael (20 September 2021). "'I'll always be a proud Lion': Ruckman retires after eight-year career". AFL.com.au . Retrieved 5 September 2023.