Tweet
Smith happy to dream of Sonny Bill in red, white and blue
SYDNEY ROOSTERS coach Brian Smith would be excited if Sonny Bill Williams joined the club, he said yesterday, and would be unconcerned by any backlash by supporters.
Until now, the club has been largely mute about the prospect of Williams joining the Roosters. That has not stopped the speculation, which has led to debate about the worth of bringing back Williams, who left the NRL for rugby union. Snap polls have revealed that supporter discontent has only mildly quelled since Williams walked out on the Bulldogs to almost universal scorn in 2008. Smith would only say that ''there is interest there'' in Williams, but added he would not be swayed by opinion polls.
''It won't make too much difference to the coach of the Roosters,'' Smith said of any backlash. ''I think all of that stuff we will find out about as we go along. At this stage that could be someone else's problem, not mine.''
Advertisement: Story continues below Smith said he had never spoken with the All Black about a move to Bondi Junction, but conceded he would be ''excited about the prospect''. He said he saw Williams play well before his NRL debut after receiving a tip from the former Dragons coach Nathan Brown about the then Bulldogs junior.
''I said to him I don't know [Williams],'' Smith said. ''A few weeks later I got the opportunity to watch him play a junior rep game. He [Brown] was right. He was about 16 or 17 at the time.
''But at this stage from our point of view I don't know that is going to happen for sure. I know there is interest there. You can't get too excited about that stuff because he might play against us.''
The Roosters have a young squad this year. They have already announced the signing of Warriors five-eighth James Maloney for next year, and are believed to be set to announce they have secured Williams. Smith bristled at any suggestion the club was using 2012 as a means to build for 2013, when the stars align.
''We have the players we want in 2012,'' Smith said. ''You plan ahead and you know what money you have available and try as best you can to make plans around that.''
Smith was responding to questions about Williams, admitting he could understand the interest. But he said within the dressing room the potential signing was a non-issue.
''There is not one person in our footy club talking about that,'' he said. ''Sonny Bill brings that promotion and interest to people who buy newspapers. For us, I will start dealing with all that when someone tells me he is going to be our player. Until that time, no one in our club is going to be distracted by anything like that.''
The club first has to think of this season, and more urgently Monday's opening-round clash against South Sydney. Smith and captain Braith Anasta ventured to Redfern yesterday to hold a joint press conference with their South Sydney counterparts. Another star concerns Smith far more that Williams: Rabbitohs' Test and Origin centre Greg Inglis, who is set to play despite ankle troubles.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/l...#ixzz1nohRR0nl
SYDNEY ROOSTERS coach Brian Smith would be excited if Sonny Bill Williams joined the club, he said yesterday, and would be unconcerned by any backlash by supporters.
Until now, the club has been largely mute about the prospect of Williams joining the Roosters. That has not stopped the speculation, which has led to debate about the worth of bringing back Williams, who left the NRL for rugby union. Snap polls have revealed that supporter discontent has only mildly quelled since Williams walked out on the Bulldogs to almost universal scorn in 2008. Smith would only say that ''there is interest there'' in Williams, but added he would not be swayed by opinion polls.
''It won't make too much difference to the coach of the Roosters,'' Smith said of any backlash. ''I think all of that stuff we will find out about as we go along. At this stage that could be someone else's problem, not mine.''
Advertisement: Story continues below Smith said he had never spoken with the All Black about a move to Bondi Junction, but conceded he would be ''excited about the prospect''. He said he saw Williams play well before his NRL debut after receiving a tip from the former Dragons coach Nathan Brown about the then Bulldogs junior.
''I said to him I don't know [Williams],'' Smith said. ''A few weeks later I got the opportunity to watch him play a junior rep game. He [Brown] was right. He was about 16 or 17 at the time.
''But at this stage from our point of view I don't know that is going to happen for sure. I know there is interest there. You can't get too excited about that stuff because he might play against us.''
The Roosters have a young squad this year. They have already announced the signing of Warriors five-eighth James Maloney for next year, and are believed to be set to announce they have secured Williams. Smith bristled at any suggestion the club was using 2012 as a means to build for 2013, when the stars align.
''We have the players we want in 2012,'' Smith said. ''You plan ahead and you know what money you have available and try as best you can to make plans around that.''
Smith was responding to questions about Williams, admitting he could understand the interest. But he said within the dressing room the potential signing was a non-issue.
''There is not one person in our footy club talking about that,'' he said. ''Sonny Bill brings that promotion and interest to people who buy newspapers. For us, I will start dealing with all that when someone tells me he is going to be our player. Until that time, no one in our club is going to be distracted by anything like that.''
The club first has to think of this season, and more urgently Monday's opening-round clash against South Sydney. Smith and captain Braith Anasta ventured to Redfern yesterday to hold a joint press conference with their South Sydney counterparts. Another star concerns Smith far more that Williams: Rabbitohs' Test and Origin centre Greg Inglis, who is set to play despite ankle troubles.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/l...#ixzz1nohRR0nl
Comment