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Tony Smith


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He spoke very well after the final, even though it must have been burning him up inside at how close Warrington got to the Cup.

Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

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We played Warrington earlier this season in the challenge cup,that is when I became a fan of his.A respectful guy,he congratulated every Oldham player for a good game,he said the scoreline didn't reflect the game as a whole which I wholeheartedly agreed with.I have massive respect for him and we are so lucky to have him in our sport. He also came into the Oldham dressing room after the game and spoke with our players.Legend of a man.

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I'm another with nothing but respect for him. I think there have been times when pretty much every coach has come out with some bitter comment after defeat but I don't ever recall Smith being anything other than magnanimous in defeat. Always tells it how it is, gives credit where its due, and very rarely passes comment on the refs. A class act whether they win or lose. I also liked how their players stayed on the field for as long as they did. They could have been forgiven for heading for the changing rooms after the presentations, but they stuck around to applaud their fans/Hull for a long time afterwards. Really classy when deep down it was probably the last thing they wanted to be doing.

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One of the best coaches in the League.  Made a difference wherever he's been.  Magnanimous in victory, dignified in defeat.

“Few thought him even a starter.There were many who thought themselves smarter. But he ended PM, CH and OM. An Earl and a Knight of the Garter.”

Clement Attlee.

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I'm another with nothing but respect for him. I think there have been times when pretty much every coach has come out with some bitter comment after defeat but I don't ever recall Smith being anything other than magnanimous in defeat. Always tells it how it is, gives credit where its due, and very rarely passes comment on the refs. A class act whether they win or lose. I also liked how their players stayed on the field for as long as they did. They could have been forgiven for heading for the changing rooms after the presentations, but they stuck around to applaud their fans/Hull for a long time afterwards. Really classy when deep down it was probably the last thing they wanted to be doing.

Glad you mentioned that last bit. One thing that annoyed me was that the Wire players were made to stay in one bit of the field away from their own fans for ages while the Hull players understandably celebrated and the organisers faffed around.

I waited for an absolute age because I wanted to applaud my team on a great effort, but it was getting on for half an hour after the final hooter before they were allowed down our end of the ground. Understandably most Wire fans had left by then.

I can confirm 30+ less sales for Scotland vs Italy at Workington, after this afternoons test purchase for the Tonga match, £7.50 is extremely reasonable, however a £2.50 'delivery' fee for a walk in purchase is beyond taking the mickey, good luck with that, it's cheaper on the telly.

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Smith was class at Huddersfield and badly undermined as the GB coach - if we had his brains and the togetherness of the England squad we have now instead of the Leeds\Wigan\Saints\Bradford player snobbishness he had to put up with, we wouldn't need Bennett.

 

I recall when he played his last tournament as England coach he went quiet in the press but behind the scenes he was visiting amateur clubs and doing fan association meetings around Huddersfield - he was very down after all that international guff he had to put up with - but came back strong and is a very approachable and humble man

 

Don't scratch too far though - the mans a winner and instils that in his players, lots of hard work earns the chance to win, exactly where he excels

 

He is our version of Bennett and we should be very thankful we have him - I for one would even look at him taking back the international game as a mentor if nothing else

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Smith was class at Huddersfield and badly undermined as the GB coach - if we had his brains and the togetherness of the England squad we have now instead of the Leeds\Wigan\Saints\Bradford player snobbishness he had to put up with, we wouldn't need Bennett.

 

I recall when he played his last tournament as England coach he went quiet in the press but behind the scenes he was visiting amateur clubs and doing fan association meetings around Huddersfield - he was very down after all that international guff he had to put up with - but came back strong and is a very approachable and humble man

 

Don't scratch too far though - the mans a winner and instils that in his players, lots of hard work earns the chance to win, exactly where he excels

 

He is our version of Bennett and we should be very thankful we have him - I for one would even look at him taking back the international game as a mentor if nothing else

 

His time at the helm of our Test team was nothing short of disastrous.

It was proclaimed as the best prepared team of all time with no stone unturned.

He set us back a decade on the field.

I do not buy into the Club loyalty spin.

 

Don't the Aussie teams have players with Club and especially State of Origin loyalties?

A strong Coach sorts that out and streamlines the team to a goal.

Talent is secondary to whether players are confident.

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His time at the helm of our Test team was nothing short of disastrous.

It was proclaimed as the best prepared team of all time with no stone unturned.

He set us back a decade on the field.

I do not buy into the Club loyalty spin.

Don't the Aussie teams have players with Club and especially State of Origin loyalties?

A strong Coach sorts that out and streamlines the team to a goal.

what nonsense.
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When voluntary at Batley in the early 00's he always acknowledged and said hi. To me a credit not just to the game but the BRITISH game. For me I'd have in some RFL role in the future. We need to utilise the likes of Tony, Brian Noble, eventually Brian McDermott et al and not let go to the wayside like we did with Andy Gregory, Schoey, Cullen etc etc. Keep them in our game first!

Like poor jokes? Thejoketeller@mullymessiah

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His time at the helm of our Test team was nothing short of disastrous.

It was proclaimed as the best prepared team of all time with no stone unturned.

He set us back a decade on the field.

I do not buy into the Club loyalty spin.

 

Don't the Aussie teams have players with Club and especially State of Origin loyalties?

A strong Coach sorts that out and streamlines the team to a goal.

A Coach can only do so much and he had consistent, what I can only describe as 'factions' within one Tour. Maybe he could have cut them out, maybe he could have selected other players, but much of what happened on the pitch is out of a coaches control.

To say he set us back a decade is daft and a sweeping statement. The bloke is a good coach and man. Puts his trust in players and people. How many other coaches would have made such a humble speech after such a loss?

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A Coach can only do so much and he had consistent, what I can only describe as 'factions' within one Tour. Maybe he could have cut them out, maybe he could have selected other players, but much of what happened on the pitch is out of a coaches control.

To say he set us back a decade is daft and a sweeping statement. The bloke is a good coach and man. Puts his trust in players and people. How many other coaches would have made such a humble speech after such a loss?

 

 

Yes, you and Dave T are probably right.

I am sure Smith is a reasonable Coach and a good man.

Whenever I think about his achievements the World Cup springs to mind, so much was expected and anticipated for such a poor result overall.

Maybe the saying "keep your powder dry" should have been the mentality of that series rather than the trumpeting that proceeded that debacle.

Talent is secondary to whether players are confident.

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Yes, you and Dave T are probably right.

I am sure Smith is a reasonable Coach and a good man.

Whenever I think about his achievements the World Cup springs to mind, so much was expected and anticipated for such a poor result overall.

Maybe the saying "keep your powder dry" should have been the mentality of that series rather than the trumpeting that proceeded that debacle.

we had a poor World Cup and he has to take some blame - the dead rubber game versus the Kiwis was disappointing as he made some strange selections to rest players for the semi instead of getting is back to winning ways - Gleeson at 6 for example - although we should have still won that game.

We lost disappointing games versus the Kiwis and Aussies down under, which happened before and after 2008 too.

He also gets a lot of stick for the first half at the DW a year later, but no credit for the 2nd half where we made it a tight game versus the Aussies.

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Yes, you and Dave T are probably right.

I am sure Smith is a reasonable Coach and a good man.

Whenever I think about his achievements the World Cup springs to mind, so much was expected and anticipated for such a poor result overall.

Maybe the saying "keep your powder dry" should have been the mentality of that series rather than the trumpeting that proceeded that debacle.

When we look back and see how GB was run in the late 70s to late 80s, then I would agree that our game had taken more than a couple of steps back. One example was fitness another was selection. We are still on catch up as a result of that era but, IMO, catching.

There were more than enough issues re: the Tour and internal influence within the players. Several could have been sent home and the disruption played into oppositions hands. Maybe he should have handled it more strongly, but I think he put his trust in players he shouldn't have. Despite that, still have him in the Job now though.

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Lots of admiration for Tony Smith.Accepts defeat with grace. Exampled when Rovers shocked Warrington in last years semi.

However beginning to feel he is too calm and is becoming a loser too often.

Let's see how Warrington perform in the play offs.

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Lots of admiration for Tony Smith.Accepts defeat with grace. Exampled when Rovers shocked Warrington in last years semi.

However beginning to feel he is too calm and is becoming a loser too often.

Let's see how Warrington perform in the play offs.

How is he a loser Steve? He did a lot of things right on Saturday.

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When we look back and see how GB was run in the late 70s to late 80s, then I would agree that our game had taken more than a couple of steps back. One example was fitness another was selection. We are still on catch up as a result of that era but, IMO, catching.

There were more than enough issues re: the Tour and internal influence within the players. Several could have been sent home and the disruption played into oppositions hands. Maybe he should have handled it more strongly, but I think he put his trust in players he shouldn't have. Despite that, still have him in the Job now though.

I think this post is getting closer to the truth, as it hints at the huge difference between managing a tight-knit squad on a day-to-day basis and, on the other hand, managing a disparate team of individuals who only come together for very short periods of time.

At Huddersfield, Leeds and Wire, Tony Smith has been able to take control of his players, bring out the best of them individually with his man-management; watch players develop under his own guidance, develop a longer term plan and be there for everyone. He couldn't do that as England coach for obvious reasons, primarily because the players are not under his influence on a daily basis. Therein lies his key strength.

I'm still delighted that Wire stepped in and rescued him from that international scene that didn't suit him. He's been wonderful for us and those who knock him should remember the decades of mediocrity before he came along and lifted the whole club to another level.

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How is he a loser Steve? He did a lot of things right on Saturday.

He seems to have become a nearly man,losing out when it is crunch time.Only a feeling I have but enough to not want him as Rovers coach.

He has signed an extension at Warrington so here's hoping they win the League and or the Grand Final.

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