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Brian Smith has a history of reviving fading clubs

16th July, 2009
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16th July, 2009
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Coaching plaudits tend to flow to those in charge of the top sides, but the strongest applause this season should probably go to the man mentoring one of the lower ranked sides.

While the results achieved by Wayne Bennett (Dragons) and Kevin Moore (Bulldogs) have rightly been celebrated, the wonders worked by Brian Smith at the Knights deserve closer attention.

While the Knights fans cherish his presence in the coaching box now, it’s worth reflecting on the anger Smith faced when he dealt the club its necessary hard medicine.

Smith was a controversial signing for Newcastle, and walked into a minefield when he arrived at the club for the start of the 2007 season. Within months he had to deal with the sudden retirement of champion halfback Andrew Johns. Later that season, it was revealed Johns had been using recreational drugs throughout his career.

It was likely the Knights brought in Smith knowing the Johns drug rumours would soon make headlines. Just months into the job, Smith was charged with the responsibility of cleaning up the place.

Part of Smith’s approach involved a clean out, ridding the Knights of many players who had become a part of the club’s fabric. As expected he ran into controversy, but was determined in doing what he felt was necessary. Smith culled one player, Kirk Reynoldson, just one game short of him being able to renew his contract for the following season.

In the midst of all this, Newcastle supporters wanted Smith gone, accusing him of being a club wrecker. But Smith stuck to his guns of cleaning up the Knights’ culture and building the place for the post-Johns era.

Newcastle had some encouraging results in 2008 and fell one victory short of making the top eight. Missing the finals wasn’t desired, but in a short space of time after Johns’ departure, Smith had got the Knights playing a competitive brand of football and winning matches. They rarely achieved this without Johns before the halfback retired.

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In early 2008, captain Danny Buderus announced he would be join the exodus from Newcastle, and he didn’t hide his dislike for Smith. While Buderus was a great player for the Knights, his form for Leeds this year indicates he was on the decline. Smith knew this and that Newcastle had to go in a different direction.

With Smith’s signing of Isaac De Gois to replace Buderus – a masterstroke – the Knights are firmly entrenched in the top eight. De Gois has been close to the form hooker in the NRL this season, and is clearly the No.3 hooker in NSW after Michael Ennis and Robbie Farah, who both played Origin this season.

One of Smith’s greatest achievements has been his ability get the Knights to play as a unit, and not be overly dependant on one player. Despite the Knights having a poor run with injuries, Smith has ensured his side is flexible to cover all situations.

This could be seen last weekend, when Newcastle didn’t miss a beat after Jarrod Mullen was replaced early with injury, a serious blow on top the absence of skipper Kurt Gidley due to State of Origin duty.

Smith has been much maligned as a coach over the years, but his record is an impressive one with only one major blemish – the lack of premiership success. He’s performance in resurrecting the Knights has been a hallmark of his career, having turned around a number of other sides he has coached.

When Smith took control of Parramatta in 1997, they had missed the finals for ten successive seasons. Smith was charged with getting them back to the top.

In Smith’s nine full seasons with the Eels the side made the finals seven times. Parramatta were always up there, but found ways to crumble when it mattered, particularly in 1998, 1999, 2001 and 2005 when they had the premiership at their mercy

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The Eels have been in decline since Smith’s departure, proving that – despite suggestions at the time – he was not the main person for their failures since 1986.

Prior to the Eels, Smith made an unheralded St George side competitive on a weekly basis, and took them to successive Grand Final. They were out-gunned by a star-studded Broncos side in 1992 and 1993, which was no disgrace.

With the Knights now certainties for a top eight finish, almost unbeatable at home and with their football not overly reliant on one player, suddenly the critics are quiet. No one in the Hunter region even questions Smith’s position as coach.

Smith’s past coaching achievements and his recent efforts with the Knights mark him as a great coach. A premiership success would be the crowning glory for a career that has developed many successful players, always got the best out from the cattle offered, and that never backed away from the impossible challenge.

In Edition 14 of Discord this week, Rleague.com weekly feature columnist Steve Mascord re-lives the final frantic moments of Origin III, and talks about Jamie Soward’s future as an Origin player, the media’s role in rugby league and reveals which player referee Gavin Badger thinks will soon be the Mayor of Wollongong. You can read Discord by clicking here.

Matthew O’Neill is a Director and Columnist with www.rleague.com.

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