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How wise Rooster Brian Smith rebuilt Bondi
Dean Ritchie From: The Daily Telegraph March 25, 2010 12:00AM
BRIAN Smith got busy at his Bondi chop shop over the off-season - a Dr Frankenstein performing radical surgery on 2009's worst NRL team.
The initial results have been stunning, with the Roosters scoring sizzling wins over Souths and Wests Tigers in the opening rounds.
REBUILDING THE ROOSTERS: SEE OUR GRAPHIC BELOW
After just two games it is clear Smith has created a truly different beast from the round 26 team last season that won the wooden spoon after a humiliating capitulation against North Queensland.
In the rebirthing process, 10 players from the Cowboys debacle are either gone from the club or failed to make the season opener.
Of the surviving players only halfback Mitchell Pearce is playing in the same position, with Smith turning centres into back-rowers, switching a natural playmaker to fullback and tinkering with other positions.
The question is, can Frankenstein's experiment run riot again on Sunday when the Roosters play the winless Bulldogs at ANZ Stadium?
Smith was coaxed to Bondi Junction and told by a high-powered and frustrated board to clean out a club in disgrace. He did not muck around.
Missing from this weekend's game are Iwi Hauraki, Riley Brown, Shane Shackleton, Iosia Soliola, Craig Fitzgibbon, Stanley Waqa, Willie Mason, Jake Friend and Martin Kennedy. Last year's round 26 five-eighth Ben Jones is 18th man on Smith's extended bench this weekend.
The seven survivors from that side are Pearce, Anthony Minichiello, Mitch Aubusson, Sam Perrett, Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Frank-Paul Nuuausala and Nate Myles. Skipper Braith Anasta missed the end of last season through injury.
And it would appear the changes have worked beautifully for Smith.
"Everyone from day one has jumped on board," Pearce told The Daily Telegraph. "Everyone was keen for a fresh start after what happened last year and everything has been really positive. This is closest-knit side I have ever played in. Winning and working hard brings a team together. A few players left after last year and a few new ones have come in. The guys from last year knew what a tough season it was but the new blokes have brought a new attitude.
"It is a good mix. So far, so good. But there is a long way to go."
Star winger Anthony Minichiello added: "Brian and his staff are well coached and know what they are doing. Everyone is on the same page and we support what they are doing.
"We are working towards a gameplan and everybody knows their roles. Everyone has been happy to move around because it is for the good of the team. Brian's made some changes and they seem to be working."
And provided he behaves off the field, there is no reason why new recruit Todd Carney cannot be part of this year's NSW State of Origin side.
"At the end of last season, for a variety of reasons, people moved on and we wished them all the best," said Roosters CEO Steve Noyce.
"The players that came to our club believed in our new culture and they have all come on board and worked hard. There has been a lot of change.
"It is unusual to have six new faces in the coaching and high performance departments, not to mention a fair bit of player movement.
"It was good to win round one - there are 25 rounds to go."
DTgallery Brian Smith
http://www.thechookpen.com.au/forum/...=newthread&f=2
Dean Ritchie From: The Daily Telegraph March 25, 2010 12:00AM
BRIAN Smith got busy at his Bondi chop shop over the off-season - a Dr Frankenstein performing radical surgery on 2009's worst NRL team.
The initial results have been stunning, with the Roosters scoring sizzling wins over Souths and Wests Tigers in the opening rounds.
REBUILDING THE ROOSTERS: SEE OUR GRAPHIC BELOW
After just two games it is clear Smith has created a truly different beast from the round 26 team last season that won the wooden spoon after a humiliating capitulation against North Queensland.
In the rebirthing process, 10 players from the Cowboys debacle are either gone from the club or failed to make the season opener.
Of the surviving players only halfback Mitchell Pearce is playing in the same position, with Smith turning centres into back-rowers, switching a natural playmaker to fullback and tinkering with other positions.
The question is, can Frankenstein's experiment run riot again on Sunday when the Roosters play the winless Bulldogs at ANZ Stadium?
Smith was coaxed to Bondi Junction and told by a high-powered and frustrated board to clean out a club in disgrace. He did not muck around.
Missing from this weekend's game are Iwi Hauraki, Riley Brown, Shane Shackleton, Iosia Soliola, Craig Fitzgibbon, Stanley Waqa, Willie Mason, Jake Friend and Martin Kennedy. Last year's round 26 five-eighth Ben Jones is 18th man on Smith's extended bench this weekend.
The seven survivors from that side are Pearce, Anthony Minichiello, Mitch Aubusson, Sam Perrett, Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Frank-Paul Nuuausala and Nate Myles. Skipper Braith Anasta missed the end of last season through injury.
And it would appear the changes have worked beautifully for Smith.
"Everyone from day one has jumped on board," Pearce told The Daily Telegraph. "Everyone was keen for a fresh start after what happened last year and everything has been really positive. This is closest-knit side I have ever played in. Winning and working hard brings a team together. A few players left after last year and a few new ones have come in. The guys from last year knew what a tough season it was but the new blokes have brought a new attitude.
"It is a good mix. So far, so good. But there is a long way to go."
Star winger Anthony Minichiello added: "Brian and his staff are well coached and know what they are doing. Everyone is on the same page and we support what they are doing.
"We are working towards a gameplan and everybody knows their roles. Everyone has been happy to move around because it is for the good of the team. Brian's made some changes and they seem to be working."
And provided he behaves off the field, there is no reason why new recruit Todd Carney cannot be part of this year's NSW State of Origin side.
"At the end of last season, for a variety of reasons, people moved on and we wished them all the best," said Roosters CEO Steve Noyce.
"The players that came to our club believed in our new culture and they have all come on board and worked hard. There has been a lot of change.
"It is unusual to have six new faces in the coaching and high performance departments, not to mention a fair bit of player movement.
"It was good to win round one - there are 25 rounds to go."
DTgallery Brian Smith
http://www.thechookpen.com.au/forum/...=newthread&f=2
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