Roosters in ‘world of denial’ over sorry saga; Latrell’s last-ditch Origin bid — Crawls

Whatever happened to the so-called “man” Trent Robinson vowed to make Brandon Smith?

South Sydney fans can only hope seeing Smith pushed out of the Roosters will be the wake-up call to get his career back on track.

But this is not another bash up on Smith.

This about putting some perspective on the role the Roosters played in this whole sorry saga as well, which is undoubtedly one of the game’s great recruitment stuff ups of recent times.

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We’ve all seen in the past how the Roosters don’t mind dining out on the glory when a prized signing comes off in their favour.

Yet they are obviously living in a world of denial right now on the back of what we’ve seen unfold this week around the futures of Smith and Dominic Young.

In the fair dinkum stakes, how can the Roosters possibly sit back and in good faith allow disgruntled fans to take their anger and frustration out on Smith and Young without someone from the club just for once putting their hand up and publicly sharing some of the blame.

Because this is surely as much a knock on their system as it is the individual players that Smith and Young are just the latest in a line of recent signings who have failed to deliver on the Roosters’ watch.

There is no disputing Smith has not played anywhere near his potential in his time at the club — and for that he must take a lot of the ownership for how this went pear-shaped so fast (although he has had some significant injuries as well).

Brandon Smith with Roosters head coach Trent Robinson and teammate Victor Radley in 2023. Source: Getty Images

In saying that, the Roosters knew exactly the personality they were signing before Smith arrived.

And they still didn’t blink offering a bloke widely known as one of the game’s great rogues top dollar to beat off the challenges from a stack of clubs including the Storm, Titans, Dolphins and Cowboys, who all tabled offers and were desperate to sign him.

You may remember how the Roosters won the race to sign Smith after some club legends took Smith out for a round of golf.

He was also charmed by the Roosters’ high-powered board, and they finished off with a nice evening cooking home-made pizzas at Robbo’s house.

What a story it was at the time designed to paint the Roosters in the perfect light.

Smith even revealed after arriving at Roosters training in early 2023 how Robinson had vowed to make “a man” of him.

“When I was talking to Robbo before signing, he pretty much told me; ‘we are going to turn you into a man over here,” Smith told the media at the time.

“You would have seen throughout my career that there’s been a little bit of childish behaviour. Stuff that probably shouldn’t be done by a person that’s a role model to kids.

“For him to say that, it felt good.”

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Smith went on to say: “He (Robinson) said that I’m already a footy player. Melbourne made sure they taught me how to be a footy player, but I guess Robbo wants me to be able to look after myself in front of the media and kids and my family so I can make them proud.

“If you’re living well off the field then it usually shows on the field. Becoming that Roosters player is going to be a journey, but I’m all up for it.”

Looking back, if that wasn’t a subtle dig at the Storm, I don’t know what is.

Yet just over two years down the track and now they are haggling with their arch enemies Souths over a measly $40,000 before deciding if they will grant Smith a release for the remainder of this year.

If only both clubs could put their hatred aside and do what is best for the player here.

Although it only reinforces how clubs are just as much at fault as the players in this chaotic player transfer market that has been causing so much grief for the fans this year.

But watching Smith talk on The Bye Round podcast this week, I also couldn’t help but feel sorry for the way this has all played out so publicly.

Especially after Smith’s claim that his agent had been told by the Roosters that he would be playing NSW Cup for the remainder of the season if he stayed.

If that really was the case, it makes you wonder why that news wouldn’t come directly from the coach given Smith also conceded he spoke to Robinson.

While the Roosters deny the reserve grade threat was ever mentioned, South Sydney are adamant that is the story they’ve been told as well.

Regardless of who you believe, it is clear Smith is unwanted at the Roosters.

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We just watched the ugly drama between Lachlan Galvin and the Wests Tigers in recent weeks where Galvin was also cast as the villain for wanting out on the fact he didn’t think he could play his best footy under Benji Marshall.

But when it’s the club pulling the trigger it’s a completely different story.

Same deal with Young who was playing tremendous footy for the Knights before he departed for the Roosters.

Now they say he doesn’t suit the Roosters’ culture, although his pending departure comes at a time where new arrival Mark Nawaqanitawase has pushed Young down the pecking order on a cheaper deal.

Yet the Roosters were still willing to pay Young huge money for a winger of his experience on a four-year deal to make the trip down the M1 to join the NRL powerhouse with the promise of premierships on the horizon.

But now Young has become excess to requirements, he will be on his way back up the M1 in the coming days with his reputation in tatters.

Conveniently, it comes at a time the Roosters are reportedly trying to free up money to land another big name signing, Daly Cherry-Evans.

But again, this has been sold as Young letting the Roosters down for not living up to his potential.

Surely it goes both ways.

LATRELL V TURBO IN ORIGIN SHOOTOUT

If Latrell Mitchell wants to play in the State of Origin series opener on May 28, he’d better pull his finger out.

The fact is the Rabbitohs fullback has 80 minutes against the Broncos on Friday night to impress coach Laurie Daley enough to overlook Tom Trbojevic.

Because there is clearly not room for both Mitchell and Turbo in a Blues backline that already has Stephen Crichton taking up one centre spot, and Dylan Edwards and James Tedesco fighting to be fullback.

There has been some talk Trbojevic could shift to a wing given the uncertainty surrounding Zac Lomax.

But given Trbojevic’s well documented injury struggles, could Daley really expect Turbo to have the athleticism to handle some of those touch downs the wingers have to make in the modern game?

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The Bulldogs’ in-form Jacob Kiraz is the other option to potentially partner Brian To’o providing the Panthers star gets through his injury return against the Cowboys on Saturday.

At their best both Latrell and Turbo are must selections.

But prior to Mitchell’s latest suspension he hadn’t exactly set the world on fire since his return from injury.

While he threw that great pass to snatch victory at the death in his comeback game against the Roosters (although the pass clearly went forward), he’s had little impact running the ball.

There is just no way Daley could pick Latrell unless he has a standout performance against the Broncos, even though the Blues team won’t be announced until after the following round when the Rabbitohs play the Tigers.

Meanwhile, Turbo has been solid if not spectacular since his return from injury, and you’d think he’d also need a good game against the Sharks to guarantee his spot.

RAIDERS’ RECRUITMENT SHOWS RICKY CAN COACH

The Canberra Raiders would kill to have the clout of a club like the Roosters in the player market.

It’s incredible looking back over the Raiders’ history and discovering Mal Meninga was the club’s last big name signing way back in the late 1980s.

And that was at a time Meninga was yet to prove himself in the big league, although he had played Origin and Test football out of the old Brisbane comp.

But in the years since, the Raiders have not signed one single other player who came to the club as a marquee man.

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Not that they haven’t tried to woo some big names along the way, but they’ve missed out every single time.

But that is what makes Canberra’s charge up the ladder this year all the more impressive, and it is the ultimate proof Ricky Stuart is obviously a lot better coach than many give him credit for.

Because this is a team built from the ground up out of either off cuts from other clubs, or young men who came through the junior pathways or were recruited as unknowns.

Yet they take on the Bulldogs on Saturday in a top of the table battle no one could have predicted at the start of this season when more than a few experts had the Raiders as standouts for the wooden spoon.

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