“Zak Butters prototype”: Geelong legend mind-blown by young Blue

Carlton’s Jagga Smith is the talk of the footy world after his performance in the Blues’ 15-point AAMI Community Series win over Geelong on Wednesday night.

The 2024 No.3 pick didn’t feature in his first season at AFL level after injuring his ACL in pre-season, but that clearly hasn’t affected him as he helped himself to 37 disposals, five clearances and a goal in the win.

Smith looked like the high-IQ footballer he was touted as coming through as a junior, finding space and showing off his clean hands and kicking skills.

In attendance at Ikon Park, Geelong legend Tom Hawkins loved what he saw in Jagga's first full hit out, likening the debutant to one of the competition's best midfield talents.

"To be honest, I hadn't seen much of the boy play," Hawkins told SEN Whateley.

"I watched him against Brisbane the week before and thought he showed some really nice signs. He's clean with the football, he's evasive... he's almost like a Zak Butters prototype.

"He is tough on the inside, but when he gets on the outside, he is really skilful and has great vision, puts his teammates in great spots.

"I just couldn't believe the way he moved. For a kid that's coming off an ACL, he was very impressive. Every bit of the hype that had been spoken about prior to the game, he certainly lived up to.

"But I do think Carlton fans are going to have to be patient. I am intrigued to see how they handle him - I don't think he can juts go into a full season of football. Expect him to be managed, but boy, he was exciting."

While Smith's talent would be a luxury for any team, Hawkins identified the difference that the young star makes within the Blues' midfield mix.

Beyond his individual ability, Hawkins stated that Jagga provides an X-Factor that the club has lacked within their list over a number of years.

"It certainly does (make them more rounded in midfield)," he said.

"You look at Geelong on the other hand, they've got Bailey Smith and Max Holmes - I'm not saying that Jagga Smith can become that one two combo punch alongside Sam Walsh, but it just gives them that little bit of X-Factor.

"We know Michael Voss has spoken all pre-season about wanting to play quick, they want to get the ball on the outside. A guy like Jagga Smith (can anchor that).

"You throw in a couple of their other recruits - Will Hayward doesn't touch the ball much but he has impact, Ben Ainsworth similar, but Smith just gives them something different that they hadn't had for a while now.

"You mention George Hewett, you mention Patrick Cripps - they are big inside players. The way that Jagga can use his feet from the contest - he gives them something different.

"I still think he can turn into a player that plays in the contest and certainly that can win his own ball, but the luxury of having his speed on the outside and his cleanliness, Blues fans should be excited."

With Carlton heavily criticised in recent years for their ball use, SEN Breakfast’s Garry Lyon also thinks that Smith is exactly what the Blues need.

Lyon and co-host Tim Watson raved about how impressed they were with Smith and looked forward to what he could be in the future.

Lyon: “He just sounds like your typical football fanatic kid that all he ever wanted to do was play footy.

“He had to bide his time for a year with the rehab from an ACL, and he comes out and plays this well. Last night, he couldn't have been more impressive, Jagga Smith.

“For all the criticisms I've had of Carlton and others over the last couple of years, I called them the ‘Lygon Street Butchers’. He is everything they need.

“His ball use was just precise and at times exquisite. He's got time, he's got space, he's creative, he was the perfect antidote to what has been an issue for Carlton in recent times.”

Watson: “He's one of those rare talents that when they've got time, they recognise they've got time. When they don't have time and they're locked in, they recognise that really quickly, they're still able to find everybody around them.

“His humility though too, that's the first time I've ever heard him speak. He said he wasn’t even guaranteed to play in the first game… there was no getting ahead of himself thinking, ‘I’m a walk up start’, even though he is.”

Lyon: “If I were mum and dad, I'd be confidently booking my tickets to get up to the Gold Coast.”

Watson: “The first time I saw him, I couldn't believe how small he was, and I thought, ‘This might be a challenge for this bloke being this small playing with all these big-bodied mids’. But he found time, he found space, he saw everybody on the field, he summed it up really quickly and he was clean.”

Lyon: “But he’s a footballer.”

Watson: “He kicked the ball a couple of times out of the corner of his eye, he saw the right player running into space and hit them in stride, there's just everything to like about this kid.”

Lyon: “You talk about you’ve got to be this or that, but at the heart, if you’re a footballer, you’re a footballer. That’s what he looked like to me. “He mightn't have been the fastest, he mightn't have won the strength test and all that sort of stuff, but he would be at the top of the pile in things you can't measure. That is, he is just a footballer.

“He looks like he's going to be a damn good one.”

Smith looks set to make his AFL debut when the Blues face the Swans in Opening Round at the SCG on Thursday, March 5.