It has been another massive year for Port Douglas Crocs' gun mid-fielder, Daniel Smith.
 
Smith claimed back-to-back best and fairest titles for the Crocs on Sunday at the club's vote count with a mammoth 158 votes, and went on to win the coveted Crathern Medal for the CAFL's best and fairest player.

When Smith came home strongly to finish on 27 votes to beat Cairns Saints', James Coatsworth, he made history being the first player since another Croc, Rod Davidson claimed consecutive Crathern Medals in 1990-91

The Newsport spoke with Smith on the season gone, and what lies ahead for the 27 year-old.

Looking back to the beginning of the season Smith said expectations at the club were high, especially on the return of the Shaw brothers earlier in the year and the progress of younger players who were becoming experienced senior footballers.

"It was always going to be high expectations. (But) a lot of the other sides recruited well so that was the other thing. It just means the comp is getting stronger which is a good thing.

"We definitely thought we'd be playing on Saturday (the CAFL Grand Final)."

With the Preliminary Final against Manunda Hawks seemingly over at half time and with the Crocs well in arrears, coach Andy Viola (who won this year's league and state coach of the year) asked his players not to capitulate.

"At half time he pulled us all in and we were close on 50 points down and he just asked us, no matter what the outcome, he wants us to come in after the game and say we gave it our all.

"We went out and we only went down by nine points and we were in front at three quarter time. It's probably one of the best halves of football I've been involved in.

"I think the bond that we got throughout the year really came through in that third quarter and we showed a bit of fight.

"I think that's why, we lost, but everyone is still upbeat about it, because of the effort we did put in. I think that's why Andy's happyish."

But there will no three-peat for Smith in 2011 who will take a year off football, leaving an ominous hole in the team's midfield.

"I'll be having a year completely off. I've got work commitments that I'm going to go through with in America.

"It's a life guard position (at) Huntington Beach in California."

Smith, who vowed to return the following year, said that the Port Douglas Crocs face ongoing challenges when it comes to maintaining a competitive team, and planning for future success.

"With it being such a tourist town you don't know who's coming or staying."

In other club news, the runner-up in the vote count went to Kane Uebergang who polled 78 votes, while captain, Evan Hocking, did well to claim third spot after missing several games through injury.
 
Hocking polled 64 votes, while flashy forward, Sam Boxall, came fourth with 61 votes.
 
In the reserves, Jason "Harry" Wilkie had the season of this life to win the twos B&F with 69 votes ahead of Bryce Willis (56 votes) and Edson Dos Reis (47).