After a season in each other’s back pockets in Canberra, Daniel Jordan and Tim Smith will test each other out as opponents on Saturday.
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The pair were partners in the Belconnen Magpies backline last year before making the move to the Farrer League this season.
Smith transferred home to Wagga with the army and linked up with younger brother Stephen at East Wagga-Kooringal.
Jordan, studying to be a teacher, signed on as assistant coach at North Wagga.
This week they’ll be on opposite sides, and on each other, at Gumly Oval after Jordan’s switch from defender to dangerous full-forward.
“Being in the backline every game together and every training session, we became pretty good mates,” Jordan said.
“It’s going to be a bit different. We used to be calling each other to help each other out but now it’s going to be opposite, trying to run away from him.
“I might try and get a sneaky handball out the back off him.”
When the teams met in round three, both were in defence but Jordan’s involvement lasted only a few minutes after a hamstring injury.
The Hawks dug themselves out of a hole in the fourth quarter and Jordan saw enough of Smith to know that he deserved his best-on-ground award.
“He killed us, he was taking plenty of marks so hopefully I can stop him being influential in that regard,” Jordan said.
Jordan’s own form has been devastating, with 23 goals in four games at full-forward – despite the odd quarter swinging back to defence.
“It took me a while to get my bearings,” he said.
“I’m not really used to taking marks and being the forward option.
“It’s a whole different ball game when you’re trying to get the footy yourself instead of trying to stop someone but no, I’m really enjoying it.”
Smith is preparing for a tough day out, not surprised his old mate has mastered the position.
“Not at all, he takes a good mark, he reads the play well, he’s a good kick,” Smith said.
“He’s just got the right build for a full-forward as well.”
As for stopping him, well, Jordan might just find he cops a bit of his own medicine.
“I learnt quite a lot playing last year alongside DJ,” Smith said.
“I guess I tried to mould my game around him and another bloke, Jack Baker, at Belconnen. He’s a quality full-back.”
Smith has grown into one of the most reliable full-backs in the league, highlighted by keeping The Rock-Yerong Creek spearhead Andy Carey to one goal in round 10.
He said his footy has only improved since the switch to the Hawks, where he’s enjoying playing under coach Gavin McMahon.
“I’m loving it, he’s definitely getting the best out of my footy,” Smith said.
“I knew coming down here that my footy’s not going to stall at all, I’m still going to continue to get better under Gav and the senior blokes at East Wagga.”
The stirring comeback victory over the Saints at McPherson Oval might have been a defining moment for a team that hadn’t been tested regularly in home-and-away competition in the last couple of seasons.
“We were probably a little bit heads down there at three-quarter time but we knew that if we could put our game together we could come over the top and to do that in the last quarter was testament to the whole team to be honest,” he said.
For the Saints, it was tough to swallow at the time and hasn’t got any easier in the intervening months.
Despite showing their potential, North Wagga have struggled to close out wins and are hitting the toughest of months.
They’re a win outside the top five and face the top four teams in the next four weeks.
Jordan said the effort against EWK was one of their best performances of the year.
“I definitely say it would be,” Jordan said.
“We were just one or two goals short unfortunately but the way we played that game, hopefully we can do that again and get across the line this weekend.”