Brian Smith has received plenty of advice as he begins the mammoth task of keeping Wakefield in Super League – not least a detailed list of things for improvement from a fan in a local supermarket. After losing their past 14 league games to slip seven points adrift at the foot of the table Wakefield turned to the hugely experienced Australian, who has coached Hull and Bradford in England, to keep them in the top tier.
In Smith’s first match in charge on Sunday the Wildcats take on second-bottom Salford and after a full week with the players in training, the coach revealed how he was briefed about the club’s problems by a concerned fan in a chance meeting in the town, which readied him for what he was taking on. “I’m settled in and everything’s going great in that regard. I’m feeling good and, as I’d expect of Yorkshire people, I’ve been welcomed nicely,” says the 61-year-old.
“I’ve not been out too much but I met a guy in a supermarket when I went out to get my first bits of food. He was a Smith, too, he said. He waited for me on the next aisle after initially bumping into me before giving me his unabashed support for Wakefield and he told me all the things I’ve needed to fix. I didn’t have a notepad with me but I got most of it, I hope.”
Smith admits he has been pleasantly surprised by the talent and make-up of his squad despite their awful season but has hinted it may take more than one week for him to mend things. He did, however, believe that enough has been done already at least to end their torrid winless run in the league, which stretches back to February. “The players have got to face up to their bit of the bargain and their response to me has been excellent in that regard,” he says. “The next bit is where it matters, out there [on the pitch].
“The level that we train at is not the level I’ve been at at times in the past in Australia. I know these lads can train at a higher level than the one they’re at currently. We’ll do it slowly, although we did have one session that did rattle their cages a little bit. There was a bit more contact and intensity than they would normally have at this time of year.
“We definitely want an effect on Sunday. Whether the effects create wins is ultimately what we all get judged on. For me winning is always the goal but it’s also about performance.”
Warrington could move into the top four with a win at Huddersfield, who themselves could reclaim fourth at the expense of Castleford with a win. The Wolves will be without their influential forward Ben Westwood due to suspension while Huddersfield welcome back their full-back Scott Grix from a ban.
The other contest on Sunday is a vital one at the bottom of the table, as ninth-placed Widnes travel to 10th-placed Hull Kingston Rovers. Widnes could move out of the bottom four with victory, while defeat for Rovers, who will be without their captain, Terry Campese, could leave them five points adrift of the top eight with six games left.
