He's ruled out a return to the field after suffering an horrific leg injury on Saturday in the Vikings' reserves match against Kempsey Cannonballs at Crescent Head.

Smith has a leg break more significant than anything Shane Warne has bowled. He broke his left tibia and fibula in a ruck.

The breakaway had dislocated his left ankle, and when an opponent jumped on top of him in the clean out shortly after, it made the injury a whole lot worse.

There was a loud pop and two cracking sounds, and Smith was in excruciating pain.

"I was saying stuff you can't print in the paper," he said.

An ambulance officer was on the field in seconds. Vikings fullback Greg Lawrence is in the service, and immediately diagnosed the break.

Once Smith had the fabled green whistle in his mouth, the pain lessened. He said he knew the extent of the injury when he saw the ambos' reaction.

"I saw their mouths open wide," he said.

Lawrence gave valuable help to his colleagues on the job, who immediately sedated Smith.

They drove him to Port Macquarie Base Hospital where he underwent surgery on Sunday afternoon. Smith was released that night. The 42-year-old has had a shocking run with injuries. He was making a return after suffering a broken neck while surfing at Point Plomer.

That year, he'd just come back from the UK where he'd lived between 2006 to 2012. Smith worked for a French construction company over there.

Smith had the itch to play footy again, but that's well and truly been scratched. Along with his boots, his socks and shorts are also in the garbage.

He's due to get the cast off on grand final day in about eight weeks, and it looks likely his team will be involved in the big dance.

The Vikings haven't lost a match in first or reserve grade yet.

Smith won't take any part in the match if the Vikings make it.

"I'll be water boy," he said.

"I'm 42. It's too old to be playing rugby."

The larrikin Smith is still remarkably upbeat despite his injury and the affect it's had on his maintenance job at Port Central shopping centre.

He's never broken a bone or had surgery until now.

He was full of praise for the ambulance officers who came to his aid on Saturday.

"Give them a big rap," he said.

"They did well."

Smith said the Vikings had been "unbelievable".

Vikings president David Barnes wished him all the best in getting over the injury.

"We hope he makes a speedy recovery," he said.