In order to hold a strong presence and representation in New South Wales, Sydney Swans and GWS must be successful and winning according to Isaac Smith.

The Hawthorn star grew up at Cootamundra in the Riverina area and believes that joining an academy would be on all the kids’ radars that play AFL at a junior level.

‘I would have been doing everything I could to be attached to that,’ Smith told Sports Today.

‘You’d be doing everything you could to be aligned with a club.’

Smith supports the academy and zone strategy given it is producing talent and keeping kids playing AFL instead of either rugby code.

‘It is a fickle state with football,’ said Smith.

‘You need GWS and you need Sydney to be winning and you need them to be a presence and influence throughout the state because Rugby League and Rugby Union have such great pull up there.’

The academy set up by the Giants has been encouraging since it was introduced, according to the three time premiership star.

‘There has been a lot more kids developed in southern NSW.

‘Every year it feels like there’s more players involved.’

Click PLAY to hear the Isaac Smith interview in full