Originally scheduled for contests against West Coast, Port Adelaide, North Melbourne and Adelaide before the coronavirus pandemic forced a fixture reshuffle, the 31-year-old is still holding onto hope.

"I think the players are happy to play anywhere," he said.

"I think we've had 87 or 88 days off of playing football so I don't think we care where we play.

ELSEWHERE IN SPORT

"We certainly love playing down there, we don't lose too often and hopefully we get a couple of days off when we get to go down there and we can play at Barnbougle after.

"I'd love to get down there personally."

Playing their first game in the state in 2001, the Hawks have won 49 of their 64 contests at UTAS Stadium - the best venue record in the AFL.

A 19-game winning streak spanning from 2012 to 2016 in Tasmania made life easier for the side, enjoying three consecutive premierships along the way.

While UTAS Stadium is a surface Smith is extremely familiar with, Geelong's GMHBA Stadium certainly isn't, with the 201-game Hawk set to play his first match at the ground on Friday night as his side look to go two from two after defeating Brisbane in round one.

"I'm actually looking forward to it. It would be good if all my family and friends could come because I've got a few family and friends down there but no one's allowed in the ground.

"I think it's one of two or three AFL grounds I haven't played at yet, so I'm looking forward to getting down there and playing Geelong and I think it's a great concept, if we can't have crowds, we may as well go and play it down there because we always play them at the G."

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