Joel Smith Biography

Joel Smith's AFL career is effectively over after he was suspended for four years and three months for anti-doping rule violations relating to cocaine use and trafficking.

"The outcome in this matter, in which Joel Smith has been suspended for more than four years, reflects the seriousness with which the AFL treats breaches of the Australian Football Anti-Doping Code and is a salutary lesson for any player using illicit substances that are prohibited under the WADA Code," AFL CEO Andrew Dillon said.

"The use of performance enhancing substances is strictly prohibited in Australian Football and the AFL will continue to work with Sport Integrity Australia to identify and prosecute the use of such substances In-Competition and other conduct prohibited by the Australian Football Anti-Doping Code."

Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin says he has spoken to Joel Smith, who has been banned from the club after being charged with three anti-doping rule violations by the Sports Integrity Australia (SIA).

"I've spoken to Joel and he's apologised in terms of his actions and clearly there's a cleansing (aspect to it)," Goodwin said on Monday.

"What I do know is he's got a lot of support from this footy club, and has had the whole way through. It's an ongoing investigation that will play out in time but all the people that are important have spoken to Joel."

Four further anti-doping violations have been asserted against Melbourne's Joel Smith.

Smith has been provisionally suspended since mid-October after he returned a positive in-competition test for cocaine after the Demons' round 23 win over Hawthorn on August 20 last year.

However, Sport Integrity Australia has asserted three anti-doping violations for trafficking or attempted trafficking of cocaine against him.

Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin reveals he has been too angry and frustrated to speak with Joel Smith since the utility returned a positive test for cocaine.

"To think that potentially we've got a player in Round 23, on the eve of a finals series, not doing everything possible to help the success of our footy team," Goodwin said.

"I haven't spoken to Joel - I'm going to let the process play out - because I've got a level of anger and frustration towards it."

Joel Smith will step away from Melbourne's football program as the AFL and Sport Integrity Australia investigate a positive test for cocaine.

Under the AFL's Anti-Doping Code, any player who tests positive to a substance of abuse, and can prove that their use of the substance was both out of competition and unrelated to sport performance, faces a three-month ban.

Joel Smith will undergo surgery after injuring his ankle in the Demons' win against Hawthorn and is expected to miss two months.

Melbourne's elite performance manager David Misson says Joel Smith 2019 season is over.

Smith initially injured his groin in the second JLT Series match against Brisbane and has not been seen in 2019.

"We've attempted to rehab Joel's groin conservatively and it wasn't really making a lot of progress, so we felt we needed to back off his running for a period of time," Misson said.

"We're going to have another good crack at conservative management in two or three weeks' time, hoping that the period of off-loading has helped that area heal.

"What that means is he won't play again this season. Our aim is to really get him up and going for pre-season next year."

Joel Smith is set for surgery and will be sidelined for up to five weeks after breaking his right collarbone against Gold Coast at the MCG.

Joel Smith will miss the rest of the season with a leg injury, but he has escaped a 12-month stint on the sidelines with scans revealing no damage to the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee.

"Joel Smith landed awkwardly after a marking contest on the weekend playing for Casey and left the ground on a stretcher," Melbourne football manager Josh Mahoney said.

"Scans today (Monday) have shown a crack in his tibia bone. A decision will be made this week regarding the need for surgery, nevertheless he will not play again this season.

"This injury generally takes approximately eight to 10 weeks to heal and Joel will be fully recovered at the beginning of pre-season."

Joel Smith is stretchered off the field with a knee injury in the first quarter of Casey Demons' clash with Sandringham at Trevor Barker Oval.

He reportedly landed awkwardly after flying for a mark early in the Demons' stirring win over Sandringham at Trevor Barker Beach Oval.

Joel Smith may have only played 15 minutes in his debut match against St Kilda in round one, but the Demons have seen what the second-year defender can offer and have re-signed him to a new two-year deal.

As he is a rookie-listed player, the athletic defender will be permanently added to the club's primary list at the end of this season, with Smith now contracted to the Demons through until the end of 2019.

"After having that little taste of things in the first round I know that I can match it at the top level," Smith said.

"I'm just focusing on my shoulder now and getting it right and hopefully I can play a few games in the AFL at the backend of the season.

"It's been a lot of hard work but I'm really keen for the next few years at Melbourne and I can't thank the club enough."

Joel Smith has undergone surgery to repair a dislocated shoulder and will be sidelined for up to four months.

"We still expect to get some good footy out of Joel in the back half of the year," Demons elite performance manager Dave Misson said.

"It’ll be three to four months, but he’ll be up and going by the end of that rehab period … he’ll have done a lot of running."

Joel Smith is booked in for shoulder surgery, with the Demons expecting him to be sidelined for up to four months.

"After consulting specialists and our own medical team we've decided Joel will go in for an operation to reconstruct the shoulder," Demons football manager Josh Mahoney said.

"We took this course of action as Joel is a young player and we wanted to ensure his long-term shoulder strength remained a priority."

Joel Smith makes his AFL debut for Melbourne at Docklands Stadium with 5 disposals (3 kicks and 2 handballs), a mark and a tackle in a 30-point win over St Kilda.

Pre-season bolter and Melbourne rookie defender Joel Smith will make his debut in the club's 2017 season opener against St Kilda at Etihad Stadium.