The equation is simple for Christian Buykx-Smith this year: Add a string to his bow or likely miss out on selection in Williamstown’s senior team.
Buykx-Smith, 20, was the joint-winner of Gippsland Power’s best and fairest award in the TAC Cup last year, excelling as a 193cm lock-down key defender after being invited back to the club as a 19-year-old.
The Vic Country representative was one of the priority TAC Cup signings for the reigning premiers, with the Seagulls looking to shore up their defensive stocks for a period of sustained success.
However, with tall backmen Peter Faulks, David Fahey and Tim Currie brilliant in helping keep the potent Box Hill Hawks attack to just eight goals in the 2015 Grand Final, Buykx-Smith knows what he has to do to break into the successful senior back line.
“The main thing’s probably becoming more attacking and trying to win the ball back from the other team instead of just negating them,” Buykx-Smith said.
“I’m pretty excited about it; you get to take more ownership. Instead of just worrying about your own play, you have to help out teammates and read the play a bit more instead of just standing next to your man.
“I definitely want to crack into the senior side, but I know it’s going to be a tough task.”
Buykx-Smith has the accountability side of things sorted, his closing speed and spoiling prowess allowing him to do his job on one of the opposition’s best forwards across 16 TAC Cup matches in 2015. However, he only averaged 11 disposals per game.
He said Richmond’s All Australian defender Alex Rance – capable of driving the Tigers forward from the back half while keeping his opponent quiet – was an example of the type of player he’s aiming to become.
Buykx-Smith said Williamstown coach Andy Collins and 2015 VFL Team of the Year defender Faulks had been among his biggest influences as he tries to change up his game.
“Andy Collins has shown me a few different little things that I never really learnt at junior level,” Buykx-Smith said.
“He’s been good in trying to teach me to be more attacking as a defender instead of just being a lock-down defender. It’s probably something I need to work on.
“Peter Faulks and David Fahey are ones I’ll probably try to model my game on a bit as well.”
The Traralgon native has shown his attacking prowess before though. He played at centre half forward in the Gippsland Football League senior premiership team last year after the Power were eliminated from the TAC Cup finals.
“I played at Traralgon in their finals series,” Buykx-Smith said.
“In the Grand Final, we kicked the first six goals of the game against Leongatha and then pretty much held on from there (winning by 30 points). I kicked the first goal of the game.
“It was a bit different playing forward but I really liked it. I got a lot more freedom to move up and down the ground and try to use my athleticism a bit more.”
After back stress fractures limited him to just nine games during his draft year in the TAC Cup in 2014, Buykx-Smith would have been happy to play in any position last year as long as he was on the field.
But now, he just wants to work on his defensive craft – and do it by attacking.
* Photo: Christian Buykx-Smith representing Gippsland Power in the TAC Cup (left) and Vic Country in the AFL U18 Championships (right) last year
Last Modified on 18/03/2016 00:49
