Tony Smith, who took Hull KR to within 80 minutes of the Grand Final last year, is as hungry as ever for wins.
But as he approaches the first match of the season at home to Wigan on Friday, the seasoned Australian says it won’t be at the expense of trying to entertain.
The 55-year-old’s first 15 Super League matches as a coach, with Huddersfield back in 2001, were all defeats.
However Smith, who after relegation that season guided the Giants to an immediate top-flight return and went on to lead Leeds, Great Britain, England and Warrington before his appointment by Rovers midway through 2019, says he’s not as worried by losing as he once was.
And that means he is willing to risk defeat as he aims to provide pleasure as well as points against a backdrop of raised expectation levels after the march to the play-off semi-finals.
“I’m at a different stage of my career to some coaches, who perhaps need to find ways not to lose,” he explained.
“I want to entertain as well as win, otherwise there’s no point, because we want people to come and watch us.
“And I want my players to feel safe in taking risks and challenging themselves.”
Smith, twice a Super League title winner with Leeds, is enjoying working with new signing and compatriot Lachlan Coote, the Scotland international fullback who featured in all three of St Helens’ successive Grand Final triumphs before joining Rovers.
“He wants to carry on being successful and help this club progress and he’s a really good player who sees things very quickly,” he added.
“He’s been great with young blokes like Will Dagger and Phoenix Laulu-Togaga’e, who are bright prospects who now have the chance to learn from him.
“It’s important to me that we give players the opportunity to develop themselves.”
With props Will Maher and Frankie Halton already sidelined, Smith is now without backrower Luis Johnson and threequarter Ben Crooks (knee) for the opening stages of the season.
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