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Brian storming: Smith straight down to work
Brad Walter | September 7, 2009
NEW coach Brian Smith will start work with the Roosters tomorrow, having scheduled meetings with every player as he prepares to help rid the club of the wooden spoon next season.
With Craig Fitzgibbon, Mark O'Meley, Shane Shackleton and Iosia Soliola leaving the club after yesterday's disappointing 32-16 loss to North Queensland, Smith will have to rely heavily on youth next season. The Roosters' only recruits so far are Todd Carney, Manly rookie Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and a handful of promising juniors, including three members of the Australian schoolboys team.
Injured skipper Braith Anasta isn't even sure what position he'll be playing next season but the former NSW Origin five-eighth believes Smith is the man to turn the club around. ''It's been the worst season I have been involved in, but the only way is up and we've got a big change coming with a new coach who has got a completely different style than the one we have had,'' Anasta said.
''I think we need the discipline and we need the attributes that Brian Smith brings to a club. We have let ourselves down in a lot of areas this year. We just have to write it off.
''Because we have got so many guys leaving, it's back to square one. Mentally, every player has got to clear their heads and come back with a better attitude than they did this year. We've been starting strongly and finishing poorly and it's clear there is a bit of damage there, so a fresh start is the only way to get over that.''
Departing coach Brad Fittler also backed Smith as the man to get the Roosters off the bottom of the ladder, but said he faced a task made harder by the personnel the club was losing, including long serving trainer Ron Palmer. ''When you look at Fitzy, Ronnie, Shane Shackleton, Sia Soliola - they're all quality human beings, and we came last,'' said Fittler, who plans to stay involved in the game and wouldn't rule out coaching another NRL club if the opportunity arose.
''As a group, they've got to stand up and provide a new culture and a new personality for the club. It's going to be a tough job but I think Brian Smith's a good man for it - he's been there and he's been in hard situations before.''
Roosters chief executive Steve Noyce said the club planned to rebuild from the bottom up. ''We're at the bottom of the mountain and the only way to get to the top is to work really hard and stick together,'' Noyce said.
''Brian is back on Tuesday, Wednesday we have our presentation and Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday he is going to meet individually with all of the players. Brian is pretty happy with the roster we have got and he thinks he can get more out of it.''
Brad Walter | September 7, 2009
NEW coach Brian Smith will start work with the Roosters tomorrow, having scheduled meetings with every player as he prepares to help rid the club of the wooden spoon next season.
With Craig Fitzgibbon, Mark O'Meley, Shane Shackleton and Iosia Soliola leaving the club after yesterday's disappointing 32-16 loss to North Queensland, Smith will have to rely heavily on youth next season. The Roosters' only recruits so far are Todd Carney, Manly rookie Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and a handful of promising juniors, including three members of the Australian schoolboys team.
Injured skipper Braith Anasta isn't even sure what position he'll be playing next season but the former NSW Origin five-eighth believes Smith is the man to turn the club around. ''It's been the worst season I have been involved in, but the only way is up and we've got a big change coming with a new coach who has got a completely different style than the one we have had,'' Anasta said.
''I think we need the discipline and we need the attributes that Brian Smith brings to a club. We have let ourselves down in a lot of areas this year. We just have to write it off.
''Because we have got so many guys leaving, it's back to square one. Mentally, every player has got to clear their heads and come back with a better attitude than they did this year. We've been starting strongly and finishing poorly and it's clear there is a bit of damage there, so a fresh start is the only way to get over that.''
Departing coach Brad Fittler also backed Smith as the man to get the Roosters off the bottom of the ladder, but said he faced a task made harder by the personnel the club was losing, including long serving trainer Ron Palmer. ''When you look at Fitzy, Ronnie, Shane Shackleton, Sia Soliola - they're all quality human beings, and we came last,'' said Fittler, who plans to stay involved in the game and wouldn't rule out coaching another NRL club if the opportunity arose.
''As a group, they've got to stand up and provide a new culture and a new personality for the club. It's going to be a tough job but I think Brian Smith's a good man for it - he's been there and he's been in hard situations before.''
Roosters chief executive Steve Noyce said the club planned to rebuild from the bottom up. ''We're at the bottom of the mountain and the only way to get to the top is to work really hard and stick together,'' Noyce said.
''Brian is back on Tuesday, Wednesday we have our presentation and Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday he is going to meet individually with all of the players. Brian is pretty happy with the roster we have got and he thinks he can get more out of it.''
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