Injured Crow Brodie Smith has been working as an assistant coach with the South Australia Under 18 squad in recent weeks to explore career opportunities post-football and develop his leadership.

While rehabilitating from the ACL injury he suffered during Adelaide’s Qualifying Final against GWS last year, Smith has been the coaching the squad’s defenders as they train for the upcoming National Championships.

“It’s to help these defenders out but also develop myself and see if coaching is a path I want to go down when I finish up,” Smith said on The Crows Show.

“I have struggled to find what I want to do [after footy] and I’m getting to the stage now where I’ve got to try and figure that out and do a few things now to try and get that experience.

“Through the finals last year and helping ‘Pods’ (former Crows assistant coach James Podsiadly) in that defensive coaching area, it gave me a little bit of a taste for it and I enjoyed it.”

Smith is learning as much as the Under 18’s in his role, using his time with the squad to develop his off-field leadership skills.

“On-field has never been a problem, once I get out there I’m fine and happy give directions and help out there, but the off-field stuff and in meetings is where the development area is for me,” he said.

“In meetings, I try to be more vocal but I’m still pretty quiet in those areas.

“So that’s been a good step for me, in leaderships terms, and doing it with these guys in the Under 18’s gives me more confidence to come [to the Club] and do it as well.”

Smith has enjoyed passing on his experience to the young players.

“I know back when I was in the 18’s, if an AFL player came in I would be hanging off every word he said,” he said.

“It’s been a good learning curve so far and I’m sure now, once we start playing opposition, I will really get into the coaching role and teach these guys structures and different ways of playing.”

The Under 18 National Championships commence at the beginning of June.