Zac Smith made his intentions clear in Sunday’s opening NAB Challenge game against Geelong in Townsville; he desperately wants the number one ruck spot at the club.
 
After an injury plagued couple of seasons, the Gold Coast big man put together one of the best performances in his time at the club. It wasn’t his pure numbers that stood out, rather the way he went about his craft on Sunday afternoon.
 
Smith’s aggression in the contest was clear for all to see from the opening bounce, with the Queenslander dominating Geelong’s Dawson Simpson in the ruck to provide the SUNS midfield with first use of the ball.
 
The 25-year-old admitted it was good to get some confidence in his body after a frustrating two seasons interrupted by a knee reconstruction and a serious ankle injury.
 
“Just getting back to the basics, that was a team goal starting at the game, and that was my goal as well - just to compete,” Smith told SUNS TV following the victory over the Cats.
 
“Do the little things well and then grow from that. Just get some confidence back in my body and some belief back in myself as well.”
 
GC SUNS coach Rodney Eade identified the increased competition for spots as a factor in Smith’s more aggressive approach to the game.
 
With Tom Nicholls and rookie Keegan Brooksby hotly contesting with Smith all summer for the lead role, the intensification appears to have brought a little extra out of the inaugural SUN.
 
“I think Zac sees the competition there and wants to be the number one ruckman at the club. So from our point of view it was a very pleasing game,” Smith said.
 
“I thought he was probably our best player. I thought Zac played really well, obviously he wants to stamp his mark to be the number one ruckman, so I thought it was a very pleasing performance.”