Smith to keep Roosters on an even keel after season to remember

Smith to keep Roosters on an even keel after season to remember


Nothing for granted ... Roosters coach Brian Smith. Photo: Getty Images









SYDNEY ROOSTERS coach Brian Smith wants his team to avoid
falling from NRL grand finalists to also-rans like Parramatta did last
season.




The Eels went from runners-up in 2009 to missing out on
the finals last year, and Smith said his team must not think just
because they went from wooden-spooners to grand finalists in a year that
another successful year lay ahead.




‘‘The obvious thing is that you think that it’s all going
to happen again just because it did last year rather than thinking
about what it was that got us there last year,’’ Smith said yesterday
when asked what the biggest challenge was in rebounding from a grand
final defeat. ‘‘It was the consistent efforts of almost everyone in our
club, from our board and our management. We were all one big tight team
last year so I hope we can do that again. That’s the core of why we did
well last season.’’



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Brian Smith during a Roosters fan day at the SFS last year. Photo: Getty Images








Having turned the Bondi club around following a clear-out
of the playing stocks at the end of the disastrous 2009 campaign, Smith
believes there’s no reason his team shouldn’t be better this season.




The side hasn’t lost any big names in the off-season, and
certain combinations, such as the halves pairing of Mitchell Pearce and
Dally M medallist Todd Carney, will be better for having spent a season
together.




‘‘I hope the expectation’s a bit higher than at this time
last year but I think the expectation grew amongst us all as last
season grew itself,’’ Smith said. ‘‘It was a most enjoyable season, and
with the number of young guys that we’ve got, almost all returning to us
this year and with us all knowing each other a bit better, I think
we’re in for a great opportunity in 2011. I think we had a great 2010,
and I think we’re in a great position to have an even better 2011.’’




Meanwhile, Carney wants to move on from being the story
of last season. His journey from league outcast to Dally M medallist and
Australian representative was well publicised, but he wants people to
move on and get to a new chapter in the Carney life story, hopefully one
that ends with a 2011 grand final victory.




‘‘I think the redemption story got old in the middle of
last year,’’ Carney said yesterday after beginning his second week of
pre-season training. I’m happy just to go along as any other player, as a
normal footballer. Obviously you can’t turn back time, it’s always
going to come up as an issue, and while ever I’m playing football it’s
going to.




‘‘I’ve got the support staff and people here at the
Roosters who can handle those things, and I’m confident in myself, as I
said last year, that I’m in a good frame of mind, that it’s all sweet.’’




So if the yarn surrounding the 24-year-old five-eighth
isn’t his rebirth as a genuine superstar after being sacked by Canberra
in 2008 following a string of alcohol-fuelled incidents, then what is
it?




How does being the main man as the Roosters chase the
premiership glory that eluded them when StGeorge Illawarra thumped them
32-8 in last year’s grand final sound?

‘‘Always pretty shattering when you get to that grand
final and fall one short,’’ Carney said. ‘‘Not taking anything away from
the Dragons, they were the better team on the day and they deserved it
after the year they had. For us, for me, for the team to go one better
would be great but at the moment there’s 15 other teams wanting that
prize, too.’’