View source for Nigel Smart

{{short description|Australian rules footballer, born 1969}}
{{about|the Australian rules footballer|the cryptographer|Nigel Smart (cryptographer)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2015}}
{{Use Australian English|date=October 2015}}
{{Infobox AFL biography
| name = Nigel Smart
| fullname = Nigel Smart
| image = 
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1969|5|21|df=yes}}
| birth_place = 
| originalteam = [[Christies Beach Football Club|Christies Beach]] ([[Southern Football League (South Australia)|SFL]])<br />[[South Adelaide Football Club|South Adelaide]] ([[South Australian National Football League|SANFL]])
| height = {{convert|188|cm|ftin|abbr=on}}
| weight = {{convert|91|kg|stlb lb|0|abbr=on}}
| position = 
| years1 = 1988–1992, 2004
| club1 = {{SANFL SA}}
| games_goals1 = 78 (29)
| years2 = 1991–2004
| club2 = {{AFL Ade}}
| games_goals2 = 278 (116)
| games_goalstotal = 356 (145)
| sooteam1 = [[South Australia Australian rules football team|South Australia]]
| statsend = 2004
| careerhighlights =  '''Club'''
*2× [[AFL premiership]] player ([[1997 AFL Grand Final|1997]], [[1998 AFL Grand Final|1998]])
*3× [[All-Australian]] 1991, 1993, 1998
* [[Adelaide Football Club#"Team of the Decade"|Adelaide Team of the Decade]] - Half back flank
* [[Adelaide Football Club]] Hall Of Fame

'''Representative'''
* [[interstate matches in Australian rules football#Australian National Football Carnival|National Football Carnival]] Championship: [[Interstate matches in Australian rules football#State of Origin competition and results 1977-1999|1993]]
}}

'''Nigel James Smart''' (born 21 May 1969) is a former [[Australian rules football]]er who played for the [[Adelaide Football Club]] in the [[Australian Football League]] (AFL).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/pp-adelaide-crows--nigel-smart|title=Nigel Smart|publisher=Footy Wire|access-date=2010-01-23}}</ref> Smart played as a defender, and he was part of Adelaide's inaugural team in the [[1991 AFL season]]. He was a two-time [[AFL premiership|premiership player]], a three-time [[All-Australian]], and the first person to play 250 matches for Adelaide.

Following his retirement, he worked in football administration. He was the Adelaide Football Club's [[chief operating officer]] from 2013 to 2020 and was part of the club's decision to move into [[eSports]].

==Early life==
Smart was raised in the southern suburbs of [[Adelaide]], [[South Australia]]. He studied a [[Bachelor of Arts]] at [[Flinders University]], majoring in geography and politics.<ref name="10 minutes">{{Cite web|url=https://indaily.com.au/news/business/2016/11/28/10-minutes-with-adelaide-football-clubs-nigel-smart/|title=10 minutes with... Adelaide Football Club's Nigel Smart|date=2016-11-27|website=InDaily|language=en|access-date=2020-03-20}}</ref>

Smart made his senior football debut in 1988 while at university, playing for [[South Adelaide Football Club|South Adelaide]] in the [[South Australian National Football League|SANFL]].<ref name="10 minutes"/>

==AFL career==
Smart was in the [[Adelaide Football Club]]'s squad for their inaugural season in [[1991 AFL season|1991]]. Smart was named at full-back for Adelaide's Round One match against [[Hawthorn Football Club|Hawthorn]], lining up against Hawthorn's full-forward [[Jason Dunstall]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/afl/smart-effort-against-mighty-dunstall/story-e6frecoc-1226027338625|title=Smart effort against mighty Dunstall|first=Zac|last=Milbank|work=[[The Advertiser (Adelaide)|The Advertiser]]|date=24 March 2011}}</ref> During the match, Smart had six kicks and nine handballs and took six marks. At the end of the 1991 season, Smart became Adelaide's first ever [[All-Australian]], selected in the [[Australian rules football positions#Back pocket|back pocket]].

During the [[1992 AFL season|1992 pre-season]], Adelaide went on a pre-season camp in [[Rapid Bay, South Australia|Rapid Bay]]. As part of the camp, a motivational speaker encouraged the players to [[Firewalking|walk over hot coals]] for each other. Smart was the first to do so, and suffered blisters and first-degree burns on the soles of his feet. [[Bob Hammond]], the club's chairman, was present, and after seeing Smart's injuries from walking over the coals he called off the exercise. Smart recovered from the burns and played in a practice match less than a week later.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/how-pre-season-camps-can-work-and-why-adelaide-s-did-not-20220804-p5b7c1.html|title=How pre-season camps can work, and why Adelaide's did not|last=Brettig|first=Daniel|date=5 August 2022|access-date=13 January 2023|website=The Age}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/the-weirdest-preseason-injuries-in-the-afl-20170103-gtl240.html|title=The weirdest pre-season injuries in the AFL|last=Lerner|first=Ronny|date=3 January 2017|access-date=13 January 2023|website=The Age}}</ref>

Smart was one of the key players in Adelaide's resurgence under coach [[Malcolm Blight]]. He was the team's vice captain (with [[Mark Bickley]] as the team's captain) in 1997 and 1998, when the team won back-to-back premierships.<ref name="leaving">{{cite web|url=https://indaily.com.au/sport/football/2020/11/04/nigel-smart-on-leaving-the-crows-after-nearly-30-years/|title=Nigel Smart on leaving the Crows after nearly 30 years|last=Rucci|first=Michelangelo|date=4 November 2020|access-date=13 January 2023|website=InDaily}}</ref> In the [[1997 AFL Grand Final]] against [[St Kilda Saints|St Kilda]], he kicked the final goal of the match as Adelaide won their first AFL premiership. He also played in Adelaide's win in the [[1998 AFL Grand Final]], when the Crows became the first team to win back-to-back premierships since the competition was renamed to the AFL in 1990.

In the first part of Smart's career, he was not a full-time footballer. Through the Crows' premiership years Smart trained with the teams three times a week and spent most of his time at day jobs to supplement his income. He worked in [[sales]] and [[management]], first for [[South Australian Brewing Company]], then for [[Toyota]].<ref name="10 minutes"/> Smart retired from football at the end of the [[2004 AFL season]].<ref name="10 minutes"/>

===AFL statistics===
:<ref>[http://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/N/Nigel_Smart.html Nigel Smart's player profile at AFL Tables]</ref>
{{AFL player statistics legend}}
{{AFL player statistics start}}
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1991 AFL season|1991]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ade}}
| 7 || 20 || 2 || 1 || 139 || 123 || 262 || 47 || 28 || 0.1 || 0.1 || 7.0 || 6.2 || 13.1 || 2.4 || 1.4
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1992 AFL season|1992]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ade}}
| 7 || 17 || 0 || 2 || 131 || 109 || 240 || 35 || 31 || 0.0 || 0.1 || 7.7 || 6.4 || 14.1 || 2.1 || 1.8
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1993 AFL season|1993]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ade}}
| 7 || 22 || 23 || 17 || 220 || 136 || 356 || 81 || 38 || 1.0 || 0.8 || 10.0 || 6.2 || 16.2 || 3.7 || 1.7
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1994 AFL season|1994]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ade}}
| 7 || 17 || 13 || 19 || 123 || 87 || 210 || 56 || 22 || 0.8 || 1.1 || 7.2 || 5.1 || 12.4 || 3.3 || 1.3
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1995 AFL season|1995]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ade}}
| 7 || 22 || 14 || 6 || 189 || 152 || 341 || 59 || 49 || 0.6 || 0.3 || 8.6 || 6.9 || 15.5 || 2.7 || 2.2
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1996 AFL season|1996]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ade}}
| 7 || 22 || 7 || 8 || 208 || 116 || 324 || 55 || 57 || 0.3 || 0.4 || 9.5 || 5.3 || 14.7 || 2.5 || 2.6
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center;" | [[1997 AFL season|1997]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ade}}
| 7 || 22 || 13 || 8 || 253 || 88 || 341 || 84 || 47 || 0.6 || 0.4 || 11.5 || 4.0 || 15.5 || 3.8 || 2.1
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center;" | [[1998 AFL season|1998]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ade}}
| 7 || 24 || 13 || 12 || 304 || 122 || 426 || 88 || 80 || 0.5 || 0.5 || 12.7 || 5.1 || 17.8 || 3.7 || 3.3
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1999 AFL season|1999]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ade}}
| 7 || 21 || 12 || 10 || 217 || 117 || 334 || 69 || 30 || 0.6 || 0.5 || 10.3 || 5.6 || 15.9 || 3.3 || 1.4
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2000 AFL season|2000]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ade}}
| 7 || 18 || 3 || 1 || 178 || 115 || 293 || 58 || 28 || 0.2 || 0.1 || 9.9 || 6.4 || 16.3 || 3.2 || 1.6
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2001 AFL season|2001]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ade}}
| 7 || 23 || 7 || 11 || 223 || 133 || 356 || 78 || 43 || 0.3 || 0.5 || 9.7 || 5.8 || 15.5 || 3.4 || 1.9
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2002 AFL season|2002]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ade}}
| 7 || 23 || 3 || 3 || 150 || 109 || 259 || 63 || 44 || 0.1 || 0.1 || 6.5 || 4.7 || 11.3 || 2.7 || 1.9
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2003 AFL season|2003]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ade}}
| 7 || 21 || 3 || 5 || 133 || 125 || 258 || 57 || 36 || 0.1 || 0.2 || 6.3 || 6.0 || 12.3 || 2.7 || 1.7
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2004 AFL season|2004]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ade}}
| 7 || 6 || 3 || 1 || 35 || 21 || 56 || 14 || 11 || 0.5 || 0.2 || 5.8 || 3.5 || 9.3 || 2.3 || 1.8
|- class="sortbottom"
! colspan=3| Career
! 278
! 0.4
! 0.4
! 2503
! 1553
! 4056
! 844
! 544
! 131
! 116
! 9.0
! 5.6
! 14.6
! 3.0
! 2.0
|}

==After AFL==
After his retirement from football, Smart lived for a period of time in [[Canada]] and [[France]].<ref name="10 minutes"/> He returned to Adelaide, and was an unsuccessful candidate for the [[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal Party]] for the [[electoral district of Norwood]] in the [[2006 South Australian state election]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/cgi-bin/common/printfriendly.pl?http://www.abc.net.au/elections/sa/2006/guide/norw.htm|publisher=ABC News Online|title=Norwood Electorate Profile|work=2006 South Australian Election|access-date=2010-01-23|date=2006-04-26|author=Antony Green}}</ref> After his failure in the election, he worked for a disability organisation called Disability Works, then returned to university to study a [[Master of Business Administration]] at the [[University of Adelaide]].<ref name="10 minutes"/>

Upon retiring from football, Smart also became a member of the Adelaide Football Club's board of directors in 2005. He served as deputy chairman to [[Bill Sanders]] in 2009 and in 2013 became the club's chief operating officer.<ref name="leaving"/> In 2017, he was part of the club's decision to enter into [[eSports]], which became a source of sponsorship for the club.<ref name="leaving"/> Smart ceased working at the club in 2020.<ref name="leaving"/>

In August 2021, Smart became the [[chief executive officer]] of [[Crime Stoppers|Crime Stoppers South Australia]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://crimestopperssa.com.au/media-releases/nigel-smart-announced-as-chief-executive-officer-for-crime-stoppers-sa/|title=Nigel Smart announced as Chief Executive Officer for Crime Stoppers SA|date=2 August 2021|access-date=13 January 2023|website=Crime Stoppers South Australia}}</ref>

==References==
<references/>

{{Adelaide Football Club inaugural team}}
{{1997/98 Adelaide dual premiership players}}

{{1991 All-Australian team}}
{{1993 All-Australian team}}
{{1998 All-Australian team}}
{{1998 Australian international rules team}}
{{navboxes
| title = Nigel Smart in South Australian State of Origin teams
| titlestyle = background:red; color:gold; border: solid blue 2px;
| list1 ={{1992 South Australia State of Origin players}}
{{1993 South Australia State of Origin players}}
{{1994 South Australia State of Origin players}}
{{1995 South Australia State of Origin players}}
{{1996 South Australia State of Origin players}}
{{1998 South Australia State of Origin players}}
{{1999 South Australia State of Origin players}}
}}
{{1990 SANFL All-Stars Challenge}}
{{Southern Football League Greatest Exports Team}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Smart, Nigel}}
[[Category:Adelaide Football Club players]]
[[Category:Adelaide Football Club premiership players]]
[[Category:1969 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:All-Australians (AFL)]]
[[Category:South Adelaide Football Club players]]
[[Category:South Australian State of Origin players]]
[[Category:Australian rules footballers from South Australia]]
[[Category:South Australian Football Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:Christies Beach Football Club players]]
[[Category:Australia international rules football team players]]
[[Category:VFL/AFL premiership players]]