“I am so fortunate to have been given the opportunity to play AFL football ... to have that play out for me across the last 13 seasons at two great clubs is something really special,” Smith said in a statement on Thursday.

“From the time I walked into Hawthorn, and now being at Geelong, I have always felt right at home at both organisations."

The dashing winger played 210 games for the Hawks before switching to Geelong at the end of the 2020 season.

Smith has played 67 of a possible 70 games with the Cats and last season became the oldest winner of the North Smith medal.

Geelong's football manager Simon Lloyd praised Smith’s team-first approach with the Cats.

"Isaac has been an important member of the club both on and off the field, highlighted by his strong mindset, competitive nature and balanced perspective on life and the game,” Lloyd said in a statement.

“He is a unique individual and his ability to bring energy around the club is something that is going to be missed."

Geelong are in ninth spot, two premiership points shy of eighth place, with three rounds remaining before the finals.

Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell, a teammate of Smith's for his three Hawks flags, praised him for what he brought on and off the field.

"I was really surprised ... he's still playing fantastic footy," Mitchell said of the news.

"A big-game player and such a lovable teammate. Just everywhere he was, he was a big personality and had a lot of energy. He terrorised the blokes who weren't quite as happy, to try to get them on board."

Mitchell vividly remembered the first time Smith demonstrated his prodigious running capacity at Hawthorn.

"We were doing a running session and sometimes young guys come in and they run really hard," Mitchell said.

"He ran three minutes for the first 1km and there were four more to do. We thought 'this will be funny, he'll blow himself up.

"Then he ran three minutes, and three minutes, and three minutes - and was hardly even tired."

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