IN 2013, when Patrick Cripps arrived, he had Marc Murphy.

In 2018, when Sam Walsh arrived, he had Patrick Cripps.

Now, in 2024, with Jagga Smith arriving, he has Sam Walsh.

It’s hard not to draw comparisons between Smith and Walsh as a first point of call, with Smith the Blues’ highest draft pick since Walsh was taken with the No.1 selection six years ago.

As the Blues aggressively moved up the order with the intent of securing the elite young midfield talent, Smith has settled in seamlessly during his first few months in Navy Blue, with Walsh in particular loving what he’s seen so far.

Speaking to the Summer Sessions podcast, Walsh said there were a few factors in Smith’s game which come to the fore immediately.

“I’ve really enjoyed watching him training. What stands out is he’s so nimble, quick hand-to-foot, he’s got a good head on his his shoulders - he’s come in, worked hard and worked to earn the respect,” Walsh said.

“You see some of the things he does at training with a few of the one-twos, he’ll burst out of a pack to hit a nice kick, he’s got a good balance to his game.

“I think a lot of the guys come into the system well prepared, I’m excited to see what he’s able to do.”

The two have gotten to know each other pretty well in the early going as part of the Club’s midfield group - and Walsh has made sure to keep Smith accountable, in the only way he knows how.

The reaction from the youngster had the co-vice captain delighted by what he saw.

“I might’ve hit him a bit late [in a drill] - he’s so quick hand-to-foot and I was trying to put pressure on. I went up to him afterwards, and he just said ‘I’ll have to get you back on the next one’. I was loving it.

“He kicked the goal when I hit him too, that was respect.

“He’s tough, he might be a bit lighter but you can tell he drives through his tackles and I think he’ll be a great addition to our midfield.”