![]() |
Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Full name | Brian Theo Smith | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Maclean, New South Wales, Australia | 14 March 1954||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 172 cm (5 ft 8 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 76 kg (12 st 0 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Position | Halfback | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Coaching information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brian Smith (born 14 March 1954) is an Australian rugby league coach and former player. He was also the Football Manager for the New Zealand Warriors.
Smith played for St. George from 1973 to 1974 and for South Sydney in 1975, 1976 and 1979, appearing in a total of 31 first grade games. However, Smith is best known as a coach, having been at the helm of Illawarra, where he took over for the 1984 season, [3] before moving to Hull, St. George, Bradford, Parramatta, Newcastle and, most recently, the Sydney Roosters and the NSW Country side. Although Smith had a successful career in Australia, he fell short of becoming a premiership winning coach, being on the losing end of all four grand finals he coached in (1992 and 1993 with St George, 2001 with Parramatta and 2010 with Eastern Suburbs.) [4]
In the New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership, Smith played 14 first grade games for St. George in 1974, and 17 games for the South Sydney between 1975 and 1979, appearing in a total of 31 first grade games.
Smith began coaching in 1978, coaching the Newtown under 23s team. He then joined South Sydney in 1980, also as under-23's coach. He stayed there until the end of 1982 coaching the reserve grade team in that season.[ citation needed ]
Smith began coaching first grade rugby league in the NSWRL competition in 1984, where he became coach of the Illawarra Steelers, where he remained until the end of 1987 season. Illawarra would struggle on the field during the early days earning Wooden Spoons under Smith's tenure in 1985 and 1986. While coaching Illawarra in 1986, Smith proposed using two referees. [5] This did eventuate in 2009.
From 1988 until 1990, Smith was coach of Hull F.C. in England's Championship., [6] In season 1988-89 Hull progressed to the Premiership Final at Old Trafford ultimately losing to Widnes. Hull led the competition when Smith left in January 1991 and went on to win the Premiership Final in May. [7]
Smith returned to Australia to coach St. George for the 1991 season. He took the club to consecutive Grand Finals in 1992 (in which his younger brother Tony played from the Dragons' interchange bench) and 1993, losing both to Wayne Bennett's Brisbane Broncos. Smith would remain at St George until 1995. [8]
Smith returned to England for two seasons 1995 and 1996 to coach the Bradford Bulls to the 1996 Challenge Cup Final at Wembley Stadium, London in front of 78,550 fans. For Smith it would be another final loss as Bradford went down to St. Helens 32–40. Bradford led the match 26-12 with just over twenty minutes left to play. Bradford would go on to win major trophies across the next decade including Challenge Cups, Grand Final Premierships and World Club Challenge Finals. [9]
Returning to Australia, from 1997 until mid-2006, Smith coached the Parramatta Eels. In his first season at Parramatta, he guided the club to their first finals series in eleven years. This was followed by three consecutive preliminary final appearances in 1998, 1999 and 2000 with the 1998 preliminary final being the most notable. With less than ten minutes to play, Parramatta lead Canterbury 18-2 until Canterbury staged one of the biggest comebacks in finals history to win the match 32-20 in extra-time. [10]
Smith took Parramatta to the 2001 NRL Grand Final in what was the Eels first Grand Final since their 4–2 win over Canterbury-Bankstown in 1986. The club had set numerous records throughout the season as they claimed the Minor Premiership. As of the 2024 NRL season, some of these records still stand. Facing Parramatta would be the Andrew Johns led Newcastle Knights. Parramatta were raging hot favourites to win the 2001 NRL grand final but four converted and unanswered tries to Newcastle in the first 24 minutes of the game was too big a lead for Parramatta to overcome. Newcastle would go on to hand Smith his third Grand Final loss with a 30–24 win in front of 90,414 at Stadium Australia. [11] [12]
In the 2005 NRL season, Smith would guide Parramatta to another Minor Premiership and were favourites to take out the premiership that season. However, the club would suffer a shock 29-0 loss against North Queensland in the preliminary final. [13]
Smith became the longest-serving coach for the Parramatta Eels before he resigned as coach on 15 May 2006, [14] with assistant coach Jason Taylor taking over as caretaker coach for the remainder of the season. During this period, Parramatta won eight club championships and made seven appearances in the playoffs.
Smith had a short spell with his former club Bradford in an advisory role during the summer of 2006.
In 2007, Smith took up coaching duties with the Newcastle Knights. In July 2009, he signed a deal for the 2010 with the Sydney Roosters and obtained a release from the Knights. [15] On 15 August 2009, Smith effectively quit the Newcastle club, with understudy Rick Stone to act as caretaker coach for the remainder of the season. [16]
For the 2010 NRL season Smith took over as Sydney Roosters coach from Brad Fittler who had been sacked the previous year. At the 2010 Dally M Awards Smith was named coach of the year. The Roosters reached the 2010 NRL Grand Final but were defeated by Wayne Bennett's St. George Illawarra Dragons. The Sydney Roosters almost became the second club in NSWRL/NRL history to go from finishing with a wooden spoon to winning the premiership in the following year. [17]
Smith was sacked by the club with a year still remaining on his contract at the end of the 2012 NRL season, after the Roosters finished in 13th place with an 8–15–1 record. [18]
Smith also worked as an assistant coach for Steve McNamara for the English team in their 2010 Four Nations campaign.[ citation needed ]
In 2013, he was briefly the head coach of the USA. [19] [20]
On 31 May 2015, Wakefield Trinity Wildcats announced on Sky Sports coverage of the Magic Weekend ahead of their game versus Castleford Tigers that Smith had agreed to take up the position of head coach. Former coach James Webster put Smith in touch with the club via text message. [21] He resigned from Wakefield on 8 March 2016. [22]
In 2015, Smith became a consultant at the Serbian Rugby League and assisted the Serbian national team in their 2016 Qualifiers in a bid to qualify for their first ever Rugby League World Cup. [23]
On 8 February 2017, he coached a Thailand team in a 10–44 defeat to Hungary staged at Endeavour Sports High School, Sydney.[ citation needed ]
Brian Smith – coaching results by season | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Team | Year | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win % | Finals |
ILL | 1984 | 24 | 12 | 0 | 12 | 50% | Finished 8th (out of 13) |
ILL | 1985 | 24 | 5 | 0 | 19 | 21% | Finished 13th (out of 13) |
ILL | 1986 | 24 | 7 | 0 | 17 | 29% | Finished 13th (out of 13) |
ILL | 1987 | 24 | 8 | 0 | 16 | 33% | Finished 11th (out of 13) |
ILL | 96 | 32 | 0 | 64 | 33% | ||
StG | 1991 | 22 | 11 | 3 | 8 | 57% | Finished 9th (out of 16) |
StG | 1992 | 26 | 17 | 0 | 9 | 65% | Lost 1992 NSWRL Grand Final against Brisbane Broncos 8—28 |
StG | 1993 | 25 | 19 | 0 | 6 | 76% | Lost 1993 NSWRL Grand Final against Brisbane Broncos 6—14 |
StG | 1994 | 22 | 9 | 0 | 13 | 41% | Finished 11th (out of 16) |
StG | 1995 | 23 | 13 | 0 | 10 | 57% | Lost 1995 ARL Elimination Final against Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 8—12 |
StG | 118 | 69 | 3 | 46 | 60% | ||
PAR | 1997 | 24 | 14 | 1 | 9 | 60% | Lost 1997 ARL Minor Semi Final against North Sydney Bears 14—24 |
PAR | 1998 | 27 | 19 | 1 | 7 | 72% | Lost 1998 NRL Preliminary Final against Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 20—32 |
PAR | 1999 | 26 | 18 | 0 | 8 | 69% | Lost 1999 NRL Preliminary Final against Melbourne Storm 18—26 |
PAR | 2000 | 29 | 16 | 1 | 12 | 57% | Lost 2000 NRL Preliminary Final against Brisbane Broncos 10—16 |
PAR | 2001 | 29 | 22 | 2 | 5 | 79% | Lost 2001 NRL Grand Final against Newcastle Knights 24—30 |
PAR | 2002 | 25 | 10 | 2 | 13 | 44% | Lost 2002 NRL Qualifying Final against Brisbane Broncos 14—24 |
PAR | 2003 | 24 | 11 | 0 | 13 | 46% | Finished 9th (out of 15) |
PAR | 2004 | 24 | 9 | 0 | 15 | 38% | Finished 12th (out of 15) |
PAR | 2005 | 26 | 17 | 0 | 9 | 65% | Lost 2005 NRL Preliminary Final against North Queensland Cowboys 0—29 |
PAR | 2006 | 25 | 12 | 0 | 13 | 48% | Lost 2006 NRL Qualifying Final against Melbourne Storm 6—12 |
PAR | 259 | 148 | 7 | 104 | 58% | ||
NEW | 2007 | 24 | 9 | 0 | 15 | 38% | Finished 15th (out of 16) |
NEW | 2008 | 24 | 12 | 0 | 12 | 50% | Finished 9th (out of 16) |
NEW | 2009 | 20 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 50% | Released From Contract |
NEW | 68 | 31 | 0 | 37 | 46% | ||
SYD | 2010 | 28 | 17 | 0 | 11 | 61% | Lost 2010 NRL Grand Final against St. George Illawarra Dragons 8—32 |
SYD | 2011 | 24 | 10 | 0 | 14 | 42% | Finished 11th (out of 16) |
SYD | 2012 | 24 | 8 | 1 | 15 | 35% | Finished 13th (out of 16) |
SYD | 76 | 35 | 1 | 40 | 47% | ||
Career | 617 | 315 | 11 | 291 | 52% |
Smith is the older brother of former Great Britain coach Tony Smith and is father of Keegan Smith, the strength and power coach at the Roosters, [24] and Rohan Smith, the current head coach of Leeds Rhinos and a former coach of Tonga and assistant coach at Auckland Warriors, London Broncos, Newcastle Knights, Sydney Roosters and Gold Coast Titans. [25] [26]
The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional rugby league team based in Newcastle, New South Wales that competes in the National Rugby League (NRL) premiership. Playing in red and blue, the Knights joined the top tier competition in 1988, 79 years after the previous Newcastle based team, the Newcastle Rebels had departed the Sydney competition with the formation of a separate league competition based in the Newcastle region.
Beau Scott is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 2000s and 2010s in the National Rugby League (NRL). An Australia international and New South Wales State of Origin representative second-row, he could also play centre and lock. He played for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, St. George Illawarra Dragons, the Newcastle Knights and the Parramatta Eels.
The 2006 NRL season was the 99th season of professional rugby league football in Australia and the ninth run by the National Rugby League. The lineup of teams remained unchanged from the previous year, with fifteen clubs competing for the 2006 Telstra Premiership. Throughout the 26 rounds of the regular season ten teams from New South Wales, two from Queensland and one each from Victoria, the ACT and New Zealand competed for the minor premiership. Eight of these teams qualified for the four-week finals series, with the Brisbane Broncos eventual victors over the Melbourne Storm in the grand final. Melbourne finished the regular season first so were awarded the minor premiership, but this was later revoked due to the Melbourne Storm salary cap breach.
Luke "The General" Patten is a former professional rugby league footballer and NRL match official. A Junior Kangaroo and Country New South Wales representative fullback he played for the Illawarra Steelers, St George Illawarra Dragons and the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in Australia and the Salford City Reds in the Super League. Patten won the 2004 NRL Premiership with the Bulldogs.
Mark Robert Riddell is an Australian rugby league commentator and former professional player who played as a hooker in the 2000s and 2010s. A City New South Wales representative goal-kicker, he played in the National Rugby League for the St. George Illawarra Dragons, Parramatta Eels and the Sydney Roosters, and in the Super League with the Wigan Warriors.
Luke Kevin Burt is a professional rugby league coach who was the interim co-coach of the Gold Coast Titans in the NRL, and an Australian former professional rugby league footballer. Burt and Craig Hodges were replaced by Justin Holbrook as head coach just before 2020 NRL season commenced.
The 2006 National Rugby League season consisted of 25 weekly regular season rounds starting on 11 March, followed by four weeks of play-offs that culminated in a grand final on 1 October.
The history of the Parramatta Eels dates back to their formation as the Parramatta District Rugby League Football Club in 1947 to the present day.
Danny Wicks is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer. He played as a prop in the NRL for the St. George Illawarra Dragons, Newcastle Knights and the Parramatta Eels. From September 2011 to March 2013, Wicks served an eighteen-month prison sentence for trafficking drugs.
The 2007 NRL season consisted of 25 weekly regular season rounds, starting from 16 March and ending on 2 September, followed by four weeks of play-offs that culminated in a grand final on 30 September.
The 2008 National Rugby League season consisted of 26 weekly regular season rounds, starting on 14 March, followed by four weeks of play-offs, culminating in a Grand Final on 5 October.
The 2009 NRL season was the 102nd season of professional rugby league football club competition in Australia, and the twelfth run by the National Rugby League. For the third consecutive year, sixteen teams competed for the 2009 Telstra Premiership title. The season commenced with the first match played on 13 March and ended with the grand final, played on 4 October. The Grand Final was won by the Melbourne Storm in their fourth consecutive grand final appearance. However, they were stripped of their Premiership on 22 April 2010 after they were found to be guilty of breaching the league's salary cap.
Matt Parsons is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s. A Country New South Wales representative prop, he played his club football in the NRL for the South Sydney Rabbitohs and Newcastle Knights with whom he won the 2001 NRL Premiership.
Trent Robinson is an Australian professional rugby league coach who is the head coach of the Sydney Roosters in the National Rugby League (NRL) and a former professional rugby league footballer.
Mitch Rein is a former Australian rugby league footballer who last played as a hooker for the Parramatta Eels in the National Rugby League (NRL).
Kyle Flanagan is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a five-eighth for the St. George Illawarra Dragons in the National Rugby League (NRL).
Bobbi Law is an Australian rugby league footballer who plays for the St. George Illawarra Dragons Women in the NRL Women's Premiership. Primarily a centre, she is a Prime Minister's XIII and Indigenous All Stars representative. She previously played for the NRL Women's Premiership sides Sydney Roosters and Newcastle Knights, with whom she won the 2022 NRLW Grand Final with, and the Central Coast Roosters in the NSWRL Women's Premiership.
Shanice Parker is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who currently plays for the Newcastle Knights in the NRL Women's Premiership.
Olivia Higgins is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who currently plays for the Newcastle Knights in the NRL Women's Premiership. Her position is hooker. She previously played for the Sydney Roosters.
The Newcastle Knights Women are an Australian rugby league team based in Newcastle, New South Wales. The team is part of the Newcastle Knights club and competes in the National Rugby League Women's Premiership (NRLW). The team's home ground is McDonald Jones Stadium. The team has won two premierships over its history.