The enigma that is Brian Smith.

[Guest]

Talk to players both past and present and you don't get the feel that they are inspired enough to run through brick walls for the bloke. Which is weird considering how long he has been around the game. You look at the other long term coaches in the game like Bennett, Bellamy, hasler etc and their players will run through a brick wall for their coach.

[Guest]

It's also worth noting that Newcastle didn't really put up much of a fight to keep him

[Guest]

There just doesn't seem to be any attention to detail for me.

Why is it that no one in our team tries to pressure the oppostion kicker.

Our infield discipline is still the same - rubbish.

The bombs ard still the same - too long. Or even when they are good then most of the time no one actually jumps up to challenge for it.

There's no kicking long for the corners to apply pressure.

No good grubbers trying to get a repeat set.

No set plays at all.

Forwards run one out without another forward in support.

Then there is the crazy recruiting decisions over time. And the even more crazy repeated favoured selected

I could keep going but there's limited time.

[Guest]

I think one could mount a very convincing argument Smith hasn't won a premiership because he has little idea of what he is doing.

That isn't to say he knows nothing about the game - you can't spend that long in rugby league and not learn something - but it is to say that Smith does not apply much of what he must have learnt with any creativity, ingenuity, innovation or purpose.

As the original post says, he seems to be a happy-go-lucky coach who can occasionally strike gold. Otherwise, he is out of his depth.

[player 1]

The sooner Smith, his son and that weirdo Elliott leave the club the better off we'll be they haven't got a clue on how to win a comp.We have the slowest backline and the worst 1,6,7,9 in the NRL i pray Politis throws the chequebook at Bellamy.

Sounds like you know how to do it. Once Smith and Elliott leave and Bellamy arrives, that will turn our backline into the fastest, and our 1,6,7,9 into the best.

There have been some thoughtful posts on this thread. Well done Chook, for provoking them.

There have been some brainless ones too.

For mine, I side with those above who argue that coaches, whose sides make the last week or two of the competition, have done their job.

I also agree that referees generally control games differently in GFs, and that mistake free sides tend to win, and that the free flowing, ad lib coaching plans of the Smith style coaches are vulnerable. Then again, just look at 2010 GF - St Cheat made LOTS of mistakes in that first half, and with fair refereeing Smith's roosters would have been up 14-0 at half time. But we all know that didn't happen. You can't coach against cheating refereeing. Do you really think that aspect would change if we got Bellamy?

[player 1]

Oh and by the way, Fred68, I just wanted to clarify something, because so far you haven't made it clear enough. Do you think coach Smith should stay?

[SConcierge]

Very well thought out and written.

I was always a Smith fan. The guy is a very very good coach he has taken probably close to 10 teams to Grand Final or Prelim Final games only to come up short in a big game. So anyone that says he can't coach are just stupid. The reasons for the losses are some bad luck, he played against some very good teams and his style isn't conducive to winning big games.

The reason why I was a fan was the style he coached. When you watched a Smith team they were always well prepared to play the specific team that week. You could always see a different tactic or style for a different team. He coaches his players to use the ball and play an exciting brand of footy, I love that care free ad lib style. As you saw in 2001 Eels (statistically the best season of all time) and us in 2010. When it comes off it is breathtaking to watch and very hard to stop.

The problem is in big games they are reffed and played differently and it's very hard to play that style in a big games and win. Really teams who don't make mistakes win big games, that's just the way it is. It's a shame because for me he coaches the game the way it should be played. Not boring wrestling and negative tactics that have been introduced by Melbourne.

I agree Chook the modern game is just trending away from Smith style teams. Smith has to adapt now otherwise he won't be coaching for much longer.

You hear ex players of his talking about that and many say it was the down fall not enough time to get so many changes each week they say it is confusing!!!! we look disjointed you can see there is no structure...
Look at the storm everyone knows their game but cant beat them....all we do is dummy half runs dont use our forwards correctly and kick and cross our fingers. The wrestle is part of the game now like it or not yet we are the worst at it...why??

When we first signed Smith the first thing I thought of was Danial Wagon LOL the guy had nothing.com.au I mean nothing and he just persisted with him for years LOL... how many good players did he let go that went on to kill it.

I think he is past it!

Considering we have a first grade coach for our 20's and 2 first grade coahes for our first 17 and we still look and play like rubbish... "Oh its only round 2" Rubbish ..... why do teams like the broncos fire out of the blocks while we come out drowning?? why do we need 5 games to get fit lol and make excuses??

[SConcierge]

There just doesn't seem to be any attention to detail for me.

Why is it that no one in our team tries to pressure the oppostion kicker.

Our infield discipline is still the same - rubbish.

The bombs ard still the same - too long. Or even when they are good then most of the time no one actually jumps up to challenge for it.

There's no kicking long for the corners to apply pressure.

No good grubbers trying to get a repeat set.

No set plays at all.

Forwards run one out without another forward in support.

Then there is the crazy recruiting decisions over time. And the even more crazy repeated favoured selected

I could keep going but there's limited time.

100% real not opinion.. this says a lot imo

[Guest]

Sounds like you know how to do it. Once Smith and Elliott leave and Bellamy arrives, that will turn our backline into the fastest, and our 1,6,7,9 into the best.

There have been some thoughtful posts on this thread. Well done Chook, for provoking them.

There have been some brainless ones too.

For mine, I side with those above who argue that coaches, whose sides make the last week or two of the competition, have done their job.

I also agree that referees generally control games differently in GFs, and that mistake free sides tend to win, and that the free flowing, ad lib coaching plans of the Smith style coaches are vulnerable. Then again, just look at 2010 GF - St Cheat made LOTS of mistakes in that first half, and with fair refereeing Smith's roosters would have been up 14-0 at half time. But we all know that didn't happen. You can't coach against cheating refereeing. Do you really think that aspect would change if we got Bellamy?

Recruiting players in key positions would be an ideal start if you think our 1,6,7,9 can lead us to a premiership in the near future then you are delusional just like the above mentioned.Bellamy would instill a winning and disciplined culture plus be able to attract players but that's only my opinion so what's your solution supercoach.

[chook 56]

The fact remains.
Last week against a very ordinary riff.
First 40 mins we looked to have no game plan. If there was why ffs didn't Smith light that rocket up the players @$$e$ & get them back on track after 1/2 time????

2nd 40mins.....more of the rudderless death ship.

If it happens again this week, we really have to wonder about the coach imo.

[Guest]

Once a team makes a GF them the coach has very little to do with the result. It's all the players at that point.

THIS is a load of shite!

The coach has very little to do with the result? You're clueless.

Chook.

[Guest]

what can you say about the '92/'93 Dragons teams? Well, reaching the finals series would have been an achievement. Despite this, Smithy took them all the way to back to back grand finals where he faced a virtual Queensland side (the latter being a Queensland + Lazarus team). That was a tremendous coaching effort which went unrewarded due to the superstar side that they came up against

[Guest]

It should be pointed out while everyone is crapping on about Bellamy being the messiah that he has never won anything without cheating the salary cap, and that he had absolutley nuthen when he coached origin and the heart of his salary cap cheating side in Slater, Smith, Inglis & co were playing for the other side.

Smith is doing ok. The team is just limited by some ordinary players in key positions. That's not his fault.

[redwhiteblue]

It should be pointed out while everyone is crapping on about Bellamy being the messiah that he has never won anything without cheating the salary cap, and that he had absolutley nuthen when he coached origin and the heart of his salary cap cheating side in Slater, Smith, Inglis & co were playing for the other side.

Smith is doing ok. The team is just limited by some ordinary players in key positions. That's not his fault.

Applause!!
And at least Brian has game plans unlike my beloved Freddy who freely admitted in an interview once that he didn't know how to manage the interchange bench so he 'had someone else do it for me!'...Oh dear..

[redwhiteblue]

Once a team makes a GF them the coach has very little to do with the result. It's all the players at that point.

Or Tony Archer and a band of blind mice..