By Dan Walsh
Trent Robinson will persist with under-fire star recruit Brandon Smith at hooker as the Roosters attempt to keep their season alive against the Gold Coast and Sam Verrills, the premiership-winning No.9 moved on for about half of Smith’s $800,000 wage.
Smith’s lengthy absence with a broken thumb this year hasn’t dialled down criticism of an underwhelming first Tricolours campaign in an estimated $2.4 million, three-year contract inked in late 2021.
When Smith has been fit, the Roosters star-studded spine has still struggled for fluency, with Jake Turpin’s more traditional running game at dummy half often sparking the rare bright moments for their attack this year.
Verrills is cut from a similar cloth and signed with the Gold Coast for about $400,000 a year after Smith was recruited. The Titans have already extended Verrills for another three seasons until the end of 2026.
Smith’s signing was lauded as a coup at the time and predicted by many to be a potential premiership-winning move.
But the jury remains out on just how suited he is to the Roosters set-up, where Smith landed after touring the Gold Coast along with the Dolphins and Cowboys, with his heart set on a regular No.9 role.
Brandon Smith with former Storm teammate Christian Welch after his NRL return last week.Credit: Getty
Smith was crowned Dally M hooker of the year in 2021, the last time he played a full season at dummy half, and Robinson said there were no plans to switch Smith back to the lock role he filled as one of the NRL’s most dynamic middles at Melbourne.
“Not at the moment,” Robinson said before Saturday’s must-win clash on the Gold Coast to keep faint finals hopes alive for both sides, with Smith named to come off the bench.
“We’ve obviously got both in the team with Brandon coming back and Jake playing. So, we’re continually focused on our plan of what we want.
“[Smith] has only just come back in. He’s made a really good attempt at working hard, which was talked about quite a bit during his injury [lay-off] and now we’ve got to give him time to go and show that.
“I’ll give him more time again tomorrow to go and show what he’s going to do out of dummy half.”
Robinson has tinkered with his pack repeatedly this year and has named Nathan Brown at lock in recent weeks, with ball-playing back-rower Victor Radley ruled out of the Gold Coast trip due to a hamstring issue.
Verrills said during the week he had no issue with moving on from the Roosters, with two years left on his contract, after 48 games at the club and the opening try of their 2019 grand final win over Canberra.
“I think that was long ago what the Roosters did and their decision to go with Brandon,” Verrills said.
Sam Verrills was an unlikely starter, and even more unlikely try-scorer in the 2019 grand final.Credit: Getty
“That’s the business we live in and there’s not really anything to prove at the moment.”
Once pre-season premiership favourites, the Roosters are staring down missing the finals for the first time since 2016 unless they can win six, if not all seven, of their remaining games.
Everything from attacking tactics to players’ best positions, Joseph Suaalii’s future, Smith’s friendly interactions with ex-Storm teammates after a loss and captain James Tedesco’s trip to Byron Bay last weekend have been criticised as a result.
Robinson said Tedesco being targeted was especially “unwarranted” and “really harsh”, reiterating that he sent his skipper away for a break and saw no issue with him not attending last week’s game against Melbourne.
“People will look for a reason and usually it’s multiple reasons, and that’s the case,” Robinson said.
“But our belief in what’s next is pretty clear as well. [The spotlight] has been on a lot of guys this year and it’s been pretty constant.
“They either don’t care about it at all, they do care about it but don’t show anything and usually they do show that things do affect them.
“[Smith] is not at that point at the moment. But he’s not Robinson Crusoe when it comes to the spotlight being on him this year.”