Joel Smith is a professional Australian rules footballer who competes for the Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League. Standing at 1.92 meters tall and weighing 88 kilograms, Smith is a defender who primarily plays on the half-back flank.
Bio/Wiki
Age- 27 years
Height- 1.92 m
Weight- 88 kilograms
Born- 25 February 1996
Profession-Australian rules footballer
Nationality- Australian
Current club-Melbourne
Debut-Round 1, 2017, Melbourne vs. St Kilda, at Etihad Stadium
Draft-No. 41, 2016 rookie draft
Parents
Smith is the son of Shaun Smith, a former player for North Melbourne and Melbourne teams.He began his Australian rules football journey at a young age, starting with Taylors Lakes at the under-ten level, where he earned two best and fairest awards. Later, during the under-16 season, he transitioned to Maribyrnong Park Football Club before eventually switching to basketball.
Girlfriend
Joel Smith announced his engagement
AFL player Joel Smith recently announced his engagement to Elise Carroll. This revelation comes amid Smith’s positive cocaine test in October, occurring just weeks after the birth of their daughter, Tilly. The couple shared the joyful news on Instagram last Thursday, receiving warm congratulations from teammates and friends.
Career
He initially played Australian rules football during his early years before transitioning to basketball, where he represented Australia at the under-19 level. Following in his father Shaun Smith’s footsteps, a former North Melbourne and Melbourne player, he was recruited by Melbourne in 2015 as a category B rookie. After a season in the reserves, he made his AFL debut during the opening round of the 2017 season.
AFL Career
In October 2015, Smith was signed by the Melbourne Football Club as a category B rookie, making him eligible to join Melbourne’s roster immediately since he hadn’t participated in an Australian rules football competition for at least three years. He began his 2016 football season in the Victorian Football League (VFL) Development League, playing for Melbourne’s affiliate team, the Casey Scorpions. Following a single match in the development league, he was promoted to the VFL seniors and played a pivotal role in their fifty-six-point victory over Collingwood at Olympic Park Oval in round two. After four VFL matches, he faced a setback, sidelined for over two months due to a groin injury. Upon his return, he played in the grand final, where they faced a defeat against Footscray at Etihad Stadium.[8]
Ahead of the 2017 season, Smith’s exceptional performance during the pre-season training caught the eye of AFL Media journalist Ben Guthrie. He participated in the opening two matches of the JLT Community Series but had to skip the third week’s match against West Coast at Domain Stadium due to a toe injury. Despite the setback, he was moved up to the senior list, replacing the injured Mitch King. Smith made his debut in the opening round of the season, contributing to the team’s thirty-point victory against St Kilda at Etihad Stadium. Unfortunately, during the first quarter of the match, he dislocated his shoulder, forcing him to miss the rest of the game.
Net worth 2023
Joel Smith is believed to have a net worth or net income ranging between $1 million and $3 million dollars.
Joel Smith Tested Positive for Cocaine
The AFL has confirmed the provisional suspension of Melbourne’s Joel Smith, effective immediately, following his positive cocaine test after the round 23 match against Hawthorn. According to anti-doping rules, he might receive a three-month suspension retroactively starting from the beginning of the provisional suspension, allowing him to rejoin the club in mid-January. However, during this provisional suspension period, Smith will not be allowed at the club as he awaits a final decision. The AFL received the adverse finding from Sport Integrity Australia last week, with subsequent notifications to Smith and the Demons.
“It is asserted that a sample provided by Smith during an in-competition doping control test on 20 August 2023 returned an AAF for the presence of cocaine and its metabolite benzoylecgonine being a prohibited substance under the code,” the league said in a statement on Thursday.
“The matter is now progressing in accordance with the code, initially involving further investigation by Sport Integrity Australia supported by the AFL.
On Thursday morning, Melbourne issued a statement acknowledging the AFL’s communication regarding Joel Smith’s adverse analytical finding, potential breach of the Australian Football Anti-Doping Code, and the immediate imposition of a provisional suspension.
“As this matter is being investigated by Sport Integrity Australia, the Melbourne Football Club is unable to make any further comment at this time.
“The club will continue to support Joel throughout the process and ensure our supporters are informed further when we are authorized to do so.”
Smith’s positive test occurred due to the AFL’s strict adherence to the anti-doping code set by the World Anti-Doping Agency, which operates independently of the league’s policy on illicit drugs. Under the AFL anti-doping code, a player testing positive for an illicit drug during a competition could receive a two-year ban, while a positive test out-of-competition could lead to a three-month suspension.
