With a media pack larger than any seen at GMHBA Stadium since last preseason, there was a lot of interest as the Cats unveiled the numbers their newest recruits would wear on Monday.

As last week’s draftees watched on wide-eyed and Jeremy Cameron and Shaun Higgins completed their individual press conferences, off to the side Isaac Smith observed proceedings with a wry smile on his face.

When it was finally his turn to take the lectern, the noise of a photographer’s flash close by, as they photographed Cameron in various poses, delayed the questions for Smith.

“Take your time, we’ll wait for you, Jezza.” Smith quipped to his newest teammate.

When it was time to start the press conference, the first question Smith received was whether he was happy to be out of the limelight at his second club. 

His response was one of someone who was in fact relishing his chance to not be the recruit up in lights. 

“It’s nice.” Smith said.

“Jezza deserves every bit of limelight he gets but there’s a few stars down here, and getting Shaun in, and they’ve got a few other players who are pretty handy so looking forward to running out with them.”

Perhaps it is fitting then that Smith will take the number seven jumper made famous by Harry Taylor for the past 13 seasons.

Taylor made a career out of avoiding the limelight and being the ultimate team player. Whilst his internal drive to be the best was as strong as any AFL player, his ability to assist teammates and marvel at the output of the team’s stars meant that despite his standing amongst backmen this century he largely went under the radar.

The laid-back, team first style is exactly what Smith will bring to a Cats line up not only flush with veterans at the top of their game but also and exciting young core that has been building over the past few season.

Whilst once he was the Cats mortal enemy in brown and gold, he now calls GMHBA Stadium home but that hasn’t meant it has felt completely normal.

“I said to a couple of the coaches at Geelong that I happened to play against that it was pretty weird running out in those colours (for training),” he said.

But perhaps it won’t be until Easter Monday when the weirdness reaches a new peak. But it is something Smith can’t wait to participate in.

“I am (looking forward to playing Easter Monday).” Smith said with a grin.

“The ones I’m worried about are probably gone so it should be good fun, there’s already been a few texts going around and we’ve (his former Hawks teammates) actually had a weekend together just gone so there was some interesting comments.” 

But there are plenty of trade secrets Smith won’t mind bringing with him from Waverly Park, or more importantly the MCG, to GMHBA Stadium.

“I got used to how to play it (the MCG), Clarko (Alistair Clarkson) was obviously great at teaching us how to play the ‘G and hopefully I can bring a little bit of that to Geelong.” he said.

Most importantly for the Cats and their fans, being a three-time premiership player has done nothing to damper Smith’s appetite for more premierships.

“Hopefully more than one,” Smith said. 

“I’m certainly driven,” 

“I’ve been fortunate enough to play in three and that’s why we play this great game,” 

“It’d be awesome to add another one but there is a lot of hard work and water to go under the bridge before then.”