New Geelong recruit Isaac Smith has lifted the lid on his decision to move south to Kardinia Park, instead of remaining at Hawthorn or opting for a longer deal with the Demons.

The three-horse race for the then-31-year-old was one of the most intriguing tales of last season's free agency period, with the speedster in high demand.

Despite the Demons offering an extra term over the Cats and Hawks' two-year deals, Smith opted to leave his beloved brown and gold home and select Geelong as his new club.

Speaking toย The Herald Sun'sย Glenn McFarlane, Smith revealed he was yet to make a decision by Grand Final Day, with the former Hawk first prioritising time with wife Candice and daughter Isla before making a decision.

"We were away in hubs for so long, we wanted to get away for some downtime (in Queensland) then we sort of trekked through New South Wales," he said.

โ€œI took the approach โ€˜I am going to have two or three weeks of not thinking about itโ€™."

ISAAC SMITH
Midfielder
Hawthorn
2020 SEASON AVG
17.3
Disposals
2.1
Tackles
1
Clearances

Soon enough, Smith came to the realisation that the clock was ticking, and a decision was made five days later.

โ€œI said to Candice the night before the Grand Final, โ€˜Iโ€™ve got to get home and sort my sh** outโ€™.โ€

Smith revealed that in the end, selecting the navy blue and white hoops was a clear decision.

โ€œIt was when I really worked through it all that it became clear what the decision needed to be,โ€ he said.

โ€œMelbourne was great and put forward a great package. Hawthorn will always be important to me. I have got a lot of friends there, not only in the playing group, but also in different levels around the club, and for a time it felt like you were going behind their back.

โ€œBut ultimately it fell to this (Geelong) and it just felt right.โ€

Smith played 210 games with Hawthorn, 20 of which came against their feline foes, the most of any opponent.