By LeftArmSpinner -
December 22nd 2009 @ 2:08am
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Is Brian Smith a saviour or party organiser?
Brian Smith’s reputation and the prospects of the Roosters 2010 season are unravelling before the “pre” pre-season has even concluded. Nick Politis, as Brian Smith’s annointer, is equally culpable.
Neither man has shown any propensity to accept the ramifications of their actions in the past. I do not expect this to change.
Brian Smith has presented himself to both the Newcastle Knights and the Roosters as a clean sweeping broom that then follows up with the signing of young players who can meet the required standards on and off the field.
He promises that these high calibre hand picked players will become the dynasty that takes the club forward over multiple seasons to glory.
Newcastle and the Roosters bought this pitch. There is no evidence to support this and much evidence to the contrary.
This last week has exposed the reality of the situation for clubs who hire Brian Smith to do the job he has promised to do.
During his tenure as coach of the Newcastle Knights, the Police conducted an eight month investigation into Danny Wicks and others, including the Gladiators Bikie gang.
Then Sunday papers announce that other Knights players are implicated have been caught buying or attempting to buy gear from Wicks.
Yet, when asked for his response to Danny Wicks being charged with possessing and supplying drugs, he replied “Stunned,” and “shocked”.
This in bizarre in the extreme.
Wicks and other players were hand picked by Smith, often at the expense of competent incumbent players.
It is extraordinary that Smith was completely unaware of what was going on in his playing roster. Only the most naïve believe that Bikie gangs have anything to do with motorcycles. They are illicit drug distributors.
At the Roosters, with Smith fully in charge, it has been another week for forget as they continue to plumb new depths for this once proud and historic club.
Rather than find new and more acceptable codes of behaviour under the supposedly strict, former school teacher, Brian Smith, Jake Friend has again troubled the Constabulary and rumours continue to abound of Roosters with prior off field form returning to or continuing with their old ways.
Of more relevance, the desperate Roosters, face the 2010 season without the foundation for any serious rugby league team, a forward pack who can create a momentum.
Then they exacerbate the situation by signing Jason Ryles, once a very good front rower, but now well and truly past his best. Ryles’ signing up repeats the mistake made with Danny Nutley, O’Meley and Mason while at the same time not having sufficient funds to retain Shillington or Tupou.
Smith then gave the erratic Willie Mason a sabbatical that does not even include fitness training.
Mason’s best performances are also behind him, but, if managed cleverly, with a combination of discipline, structure and stroking, he has some good, even inspirational, performances to offer in 2010. For the Roosters, this is a simple case of “bird in hand.”
As Mason’s prospects of gaining a comparable contract anywhere else in the world recede, so do the prospects that he will spend the season defining, first phase of the 2010 season making up the ground lost by missing pre-season.
Without a forward pack creating “go forward”, the pressure to make things happen will filter through to the Roosters halves and in particular the fragile Todd Carney. Only the very best halves, and Carney, even at his best, is not in this category, can win games without a forward pack.
Carney, like Wicks, Ryles and the relaxing Mason, are Smith appointments/decisions. The only thing they share in common is that they are examples of very poor judgment on behalf of both coach and chairman.
One can only conclude that the Roosters party times of last season will continue and that if you ever want a party organised, speak to Brian Smith.
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LeftArmSpinner said | December 22nd 2009 @ 5:35am | Report comment
and now gallen is on the market, if only on the quiet. He would fit in perfectly at Bondi. great on doing things with bodily waste, great party boy. all good!!!! Leave it to Brian and Nick
Mushi said | December 22nd 2009 @ 6:57am | Report comment
I’ve heard it all from you now LAS in your anti Politis/Smith crusade.
“Yet, when asked for his response to Danny Wicks being charged with possessing and supplying drugs, he replied “Stunned,” and “shocked”.
This in bizarre in the extreme.”
How is that bizarre? Bizarre would be him saying oh of course I knew Danny was dealing gear, I figured it was good to have a source in house we could trust?
Smith’s response seems in-line with what a reasonable person would say?
Having a crack at smith for not being a disciplinarian seems very far fetched, next Wayne Bennet will be a stand up comedian and Ricky Stuart respectful after a tough loss,
You can’t criticise his inability to be disciplinarian and bring the right culture and then attack him for trying to remove who he sees as the biggest impediment cultural change because he “might” – given the perfect storm of events which hasn’t occurred for three years – be able to contribute the odd game or two over the course of the season.
I agree that our buys are head scratchers and have been for years but the type of roster restructure your asking for is typically only undertaken by a coach like Smith?
LeftArmSpinner said | December 22nd 2009 @ 7:33am | Report comment
Mushi,
here it is:
1. smith hand picked the NK players and presumably, as a disciplinarian, would have examined the personalities of the players as well as their playing skills.
2. Being a drug dealer is symptom: be it money worries, a gambling problem, a drugs habit or a personality trait/disorder that
precludes him from understanding the abhorence of drug dealers, the danger involved in the drugs business or simply a disregard for authority.
2. it was not just Wicks, but other players in the squad
3. The police knew for 8 months. bikie gangs dont have low profiles!!!! this one was “branded”
4. As for the Smith myth of being a disciplinarian, he couldnt control Willie, in fact didnt even try, didnt identify friend or control him or give him help
5. as the the Smith myth of being a footy coach, where is the forward pack?
He hasnt removed wilie. He has parked him on Willie’s terms pay me while i dont train!!! I agree that a new broom should remove Willie. that hasnt happened and when the pack goes missing in march, Willie, albeit unfit, will be called upon.
Mushi, I agree with your last para except that Smith is a promiser not a deliverer. and the mess is directly the responsibility of Politis. he is the chairman!!!! i havent heard an ounce of mea culpa.
So, i would be happy if politis put his hand up and acceptedresponsibility together with a plan of attack for the future: new proven coach who is at the peak of his powers, new young, bright young things roster, no dickhead pollicy. its not that hard.
e.g. Bulldogs coach Moore or Parramatta Anderson. Got rid of the dross and trouble makers, brought in youngsters and got best performances out of journeymen and incumbents.
Chris said | December 22nd 2009 @ 4:35pm | Report comment
LAS – Willie has a contract. I’m sure the Roosters would get rid of him if they could (as they did with Jake Friend). As it is Willie hasn’t done anything that could legally allow the Roosters to tear it up. What else can Smith do except tell him to stay at home? Play him?
LeftArmSpinner said | December 23rd 2009 @ 8:17am | Report comment
correct. so either put him back into work and get him ready for the season or offer him a deal to leave completely. parking him is not the answer!!! He neither ready to play come 2010 nor motivated to find another club
macavity said | December 23rd 2009 @ 2:50pm | Report comment
your second point 2 is a very serious allegation stated as fact. I suggest you withdraw it.
LT80 said | December 22nd 2009 @ 8:38am | Report comment
People are normally given for than a month or two to effect some kind of change in an organisation, so I think it’s premature to be sticking the boot into Smith.
Although I have sympathy in your criticism of Politis. The Roosters support has been dwindling over the last few years. Some games drew less than 7000 this year.
The “Sydney City / Sydney” experiment has obviously failed. The supporters are all calling out for a return to a traditional image as “Easts”. What is Politis’ response? Rebrand as The Bondi Roosters.
The problem is, the football club membership is severely restricted, supporters have very little voice.
Springs said | December 22nd 2009 @ 8:56am | Report comment
So far there is no evidence to support that other knights players were buying drugs from Wicks.
kordova said | December 22nd 2009 @ 9:06am | Report comment
flawed logic indeed, left arm spinner…
how is smith supposed to know what wicks is up to in his private life…
if one is selling or taking drugs (as other knoghts players are ALLEGED (by notoriously WRONG sunday papers) to have done) then its usual to keep it quiet… especially from one’s employer…
LeftArmSpinner said | December 23rd 2009 @ 8:19am | Report comment
kordova, not flawed. every one else knew. why not smith. Drug dealers leave clues and have personalities, personal reasons for getting involved. you dont jsut wake up one mornin’ anf become a drug dealer and everything else stays the same…………. e.g. what has he been doing with the cash????? A really clever dealer would hide it. wicks is clearly not clever.
kordova said | December 23rd 2009 @ 12:34pm | Report comment
the irrational assumptions continue…
“everyone else knew”… ???? thats just false…
“Drug dealers leave clues and have personalities…” … i think maybe what you meant to say but don’t have the intellectual capacity to get across is that drug dealers have certain types of personalities… what study is thais based on? i ask this because it just strikes me as untrue…
“e.g. what has he been doing with the cash????? “… as far as i know it would be illegal for your employer to be monitoring there employees bank account without consent…
“wicks is clearly not clever”… pot calling the kettle black?
macavity said | December 23rd 2009 @ 2:52pm | Report comment
with that sort of insight, you should be on the CSI Miami team, or something.
Willo said | December 22nd 2009 @ 9:20am | Report comment
“He promises that these high calibre hand picked players will become the dynasty that takes the club forward over multiple seasons to glory.”
What overblown rubbish – show us a quote from Smith promising anything of the sort.
Carney was a done deal long before Smith came aboard.
LeftArmSpinner said | December 23rd 2009 @ 8:22am | Report comment
read the pronouncements on his arrival at NK. the run ins with Bederus, the bloke woth the beard, then the speculation immediately on his appointment to chooks, willie, Friend, Myles, etc will they go? will dicsplinarian Smith agree to carney arriving? and if the deal was already done, why would the disciplinarian join a club with a ticking poorly disciplined time bomb???
Mick from Giralang said | December 22nd 2009 @ 9:26am | Report comment
Whew, tough spray there LAS! I’d be inclined to give Smith a bit more time. He has a good record of setting teams on the path to success, though it does appear he can’t quite get a team to a premiership. A club or coach is never going to eradicate poor behaviour from the odd screwball, no matter what code we’re talking about (look at the problems ozzie rools club Carlton is going through at the moment.). What they can do is introduce a culture of responsibility and discipline, and then enforce those standards consistently and with vigour. I’ll think you’ll find Smith will achieve this, and along the way the Roosters will become genuine contenders.
Whataboutthatone! said | December 22nd 2009 @ 10:14am | Report comment
I think you have little knowledge on any of the points you make LAS. Purely based on your opinion and hearsay without actually knowing the facts.
Please let me know which ” dross and trouble makers” Daniel Anderson got rid of? He was actually being criticised by many fans prior to the Eels beginning their winning streak.
LeftArmSpinner said | December 23rd 2009 @ 9:39am | Report comment
Finch!
Did anderson stick finch on sabatical and not require him to train? Nope. anderson took his financial and PR medicine, moved him on, and every was better for it, including Finch.
Were the Eels a tight outfit in 2009? YES. By definition the trouble makers were gone or no longer making trouble? you dont have to kick them all out, they can be turned around. You dont need to remove them. Grothe (disinterested and just slack for years), Fui Fui (discipline), Haynes (getting shot at in Kings X).
And then add the hooker, a journey man who with a new playing style and youngsters like mortimer exelled.
Springs said | December 23rd 2009 @ 9:42am | Report comment
Finch was a trouble maker? Grothe, Fiu and Hayne are all still here, and they aren’t trouble makers. Tim Smith was probably the only one and he was gone before Anderson.
Chris said | December 22nd 2009 @ 4:33pm | Report comment
This is a typical LAS article. A lot of criticism, no positives, all negative.
I was reading it and I thought to myself “this sounds like something LAS writes on the Union pages”. I went up to check the author – who else!
LeftArmSpinner said | December 23rd 2009 @ 8:26am | Report comment
Chris, the article writes itself because of the facts:
1. wicks was hand picked by Smith
2. wicks and other players indescretions were on Smith’s watch
3. Roosters problems have continued
4. their dealings with Willie are ridiculous?
5. why hire Ryles?
these are facts, all of which have occured on Smiths watch!!!!!
Please stick to the facts
Mushi said | December 23rd 2009 @ 2:03pm | Report comment
LAS – yes lets stick to the facts.
5. “Why hire Ryles” is a question not a fact. Perhaps understanding this would go a long way towards stopping the self contradiction that is ever present in your work.
4. Here is a fact: you can’t (we’ll you can – just not successfully or with any credibility) argue that Smith isn’t a disciplinarian and attack the level to which he has gone to remove the negative influence.
3. Yes roosters problems have continued last time I checked it was still 2009, if you are expecting cultural change and the rehabilitation of young man who clearly doesn’t want rehabilitation inside 3 months you must think NRL coaches are pioneering the Nobel prize for Psychology.
1.2 Which current coaches haven’t had a player with an off field incident “on their watch”? If you are going to go with “just the facts” at least make a token effort at representing them properly.
LeftArmSpinner said | December 24th 2009 @ 7:51pm | Report comment
mushi. ryles is a old tired prop. FACT. IMO, he is not the sort of player you re-build a team with or around.
Smith has agreed to join a club with a play maker who is a dsciplinarians’ knightmare!! Even If he had no say in that decision, why would be join such a compromised outfit. secondly, why did OSullivan and Politis agree to the signing of Carney???? Personally, i believe he had a say in this decision.
friend, a Hooker, and hence a play maker himself, has clearly got problems. But they came out again under Smith, and during preseason, i.e. no pressure from the comp!!!
Your final point: Sure every coach has problem players, but rarely does a coach present themselves as such disciplinians and who hand picks the squad after dismissing the incumbents, only to find that there is a serial drug dealer amongst the hand picked!!!!
Were I smith, i would have been much lower key, promising less, delivering more. But the question remains, what is going on with Willie? as they say, please explain!!!!
Corey said | December 23rd 2009 @ 2:46am | Report comment
I agree, I believe the worst buy this season of any personnel is a coach. Why would a club buy some1 who cannot win a premiership? Hopefully for his sake he does win one. But I must say that the Roosters supporters are pretty slack if view sometimes get less than 7000 to a game. They only won a premiership in this decade. Look at souths, haven’t won one in my lifetime and yet have the highest sydney membership.
LeftArmSpinner said | December 23rd 2009 @ 8:28am | Report comment
agreed. yea but look at what efforts Crowe goes to to get bums on seats compared to Politis. too busy at ARL level when his own club is in crisis. charity begins at home.
LeftArmSpinner said | December 23rd 2009 @ 8:32am | Report comment
Oh asnd look at the pack that the rabbits have assembled? phew. a cracker if they can stay injury free. both teams have been in rebuilding phase for a while.
look at the coaches. both took on young coaches: fittler and taylor. Souths supported taylor with a premiership winning coach in lang. the roosters???? No one.
Corey said | December 23rd 2009 @ 12:13pm | Report comment
I agree, although I do believe Lang is past it. But there forward pack should be able to go forward, that should be the only coaching needed, and then coach the backs, especially Sutton and Sandow. If they get consistency they will be a major contender. And hopefully the Rabbitohs faithful come back to the park to watch them. It would be good to here “Glory, Glory to South Sydney” a lot.
ScottWoodward.me said | December 23rd 2009 @ 4:00pm | Report comment
LAS
Allow me to set your straight on a couple of things:
* Peter O’Sullivan is the General Manager of Recruitment/Players list. He inherited many over paid players and he has only just started to get the list that he wants.
* Brian Smith has had NO impact in his player list. O’Sullivan is the best in the business and he is his own man who would leave if ever a coach told him how to do his job.
* O’Meyley, Mason etc were a done deal before Smith arrived. Clearly Smith and O’Sullivan agreed as Willie has not been invited back. I have no doubt that this decision was not made lightly and is in the best interests of the club.
* LAS I am tipping Jason Ryles will represent this year under Smith. His only problem has ever been dumb turn overs and silly penalties all are very coachable.
* You also bagged Todd Carney. I think he has the talent to become the next Lockyer.
* You said that the Roosters have lost all the good forwards. OK LAS write this down: Frank Paul Nuuausala will be one prop who stared for NZ in the recent 4 Nations and a new look Ryles will be the other with block buster Lopini Paea off the bench and young international Jared Waerea-Hargreaves off the becn. The 2nd row will boast 3 of the most promising forwards in the NRL inc Tom Symonds, Anth Cherrington and Boyd Cordner (all 3 will represent). Oh, and I havent mentioned Nat Myles and Braith Anasta yet.
LeftArmSpinner said | December 24th 2009 @ 5:13am | Report comment
Scott,
Sullivan has been around for at least 2 seasons, by my recollection. His expertise, at least at the Storm, was to identify young players (Inglis etc) not sign first graders.
I agree that Smith Inherited many over paid players: My point is that Politis and Sullivan (more recently) has presided over the debacle of hiring these players and offering them the money they receive. Anasta, Myles, OMeley, Mason to name a few.
Sullivan and Politis were around when carney’s name came up and he was signed. This is a ridiculous decision.
Carney has T-r-o-u-b-l-e as his middle name.
Why would Smith, the supposed disciplinarian, change clubs, breaking his contract with NK, to join a club with Carney as its lynchpin? Either he was running away from NK’s before he was exposed, or he isnt really the disciplinarian he says he is.
Sullivan and Politis were around when Ryles was signed!!!
I cannot accept that Smith, with his reputation, would come to a club and yet have no impact on signing the wayward playmaker who has the potential to derail the whole club on and off the field and secondly, an expensive front rower like Ryles.
So you are saying that sullivan just recruits players wihtout reference to the coach? I dont think so!
That Sullivan and Smith agreed about the treatment of Mason is not the point. The treatment is wrong. whether they agree or not is irrelevant. what happens when the season commences and Willie is still sitting in clovelly gettting fatter and fatter and being paid full freight by the roosters. he will not be able to play, even if the coach and the player wanted him to.
Ryles may represent. it would have been better to take this year as a fully fledged rebuilding year, not a continuation of the Roosters retrirement village for the flotsam and jetsom. how many young props could you sign for Ryles money?
Carney the next lockyer? Hmmmm. Nope. Not even close. Carney is a serial offender and will again self implode when the pressure comes on. Lockyer is one of the great players of this generation, season after season. having the talent is not really the point. using it is the point and to use it, you have to have the brain and attitude. Its all above the shoulders when it gets to these dizzy heights.
Roosters have lost Shillington, Tupou and one of the Paea’s (i think). Very, very good young players.
I can only presume that you have not attended Roosters games and heard the few faithful pay out on Myles with nick names such as Pillow. Anasta is over rated and has been over paid for years.
I am interested that there are young players coming through. Sullivan has been there long enough for this to now be occurring. I just dont know them.
I have not bagged Carney. I have just hilighted his rap sheet and the likely pressure he will be under when the forwards dont deliver.
I have the opportunity to observe the roosters as they go about their business at the SFS. Things are rotten!!! body language is poor. there is a clear split between senior and junior players. Not good.
ScottWoodward.me said | December 24th 2009 @ 9:09pm | Report comment
LAS
I have breaky with them every morning and I have never seen a happier team, so i dont know who you are looking at.
LAS, POS was signed by John Ribot and Chris Johns originally as a talent scout and was quickly promoted to GM of Player Recruitment. He re defined the job role and had a big influence on these guys being paid appropriately as you cant win without the cattle. Sure the coach will have input but the finding and signing is the responsibility of the Recruitment boss and so it should be. It is a fundamentally different skill to coaching and O’Sullivan has been key in that being recognized.
Lets talk again in 6 mths about Carney, but as far as Willie is concerned he has been a heart breaker. Everyone knows the talent he has but he continues to cruel himself on and off the field. He is a lazy trainer and basically not someone who you would want in your trench. What more can I say, let it go. Do u honestly think that all the clever people at the Roosters would let him go if they didnt think the negatives out weigh the positives?
Merry Xmas
LeftArmSpinner said | December 25th 2009 @ 11:06am | Report comment
Scott, I was vociforous at the time of his signing that it was a disaster. It defied the simple logic of the no dickheads rule so successful at the Swans and other competently managed/coached teams.
It compounded the mistakes with other Bulldogs, O’Meley, Anasta and Myles.
So I agree that he has to go, but by that, I mean, not just not train, but leave the club. Currently, he is just sitting on his tail getting paid!!!!! take the medicine and move on. Alternatively, get him on the paddock and run the crap out of him till he moves on. the parking option sends the wrong message to the squad. But as I write this, I am astounded that such a basic mistake has been made!!!! How many other unwanted, highly paid players have been parked or are currently parked in the NRL?? Zero.
As for Carney, I have no choice but to wait for the seaosn to commence or even 6 months.
So, who ever has made these decisions on Willie and now Carney, when carney falls off the wagon again, and takes the club with him, they should fall on their sword. lets start with Politis. He is fully implicated in both. Then, if you are correct and O’Sullivan is seleecting the players, he is next. (personally, I cannot agree or accept that a coach would coach a team of players which has been selected by someone else.)
Would a CEO run a business without his team with him in the critical positions? Nope. PMs and Leaders of the Opp all choose their own cabinets. Even the NSW labour party now allow the Premier to select his/her team!!!!!