Captain Raider_69 takes a hit bursts straight throw the Panthers defence, he comes to the fullback and pops a beautiful ball to support player...
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The Enigma
In this great game of rugby league, much has changed over the past 98 odd years of competition. The code has reached new levels of professionalism for players and clubs alike. Initiatives such as golden point and the video referee have been implemented and of course the competition has expanded nationally and to New Zealand.
With these changes has come greater emphasis on the young rookie players. Clubs are nurturing talent from a younger age in the hope of breeding the ultimate player and the premierships that come with that. Every year clubs aim to make their players bigger, fitter, stronger, faster and ultimately better.
The emergence of young superstars such as Sonny Bill Williams, Anthony Topou and Anthony Watmough has only encouraged such thinking. But in a game as fast paced and frantic as league, is there too much emphasis placed on the young superstar? Do we sometimes we forget the value of a cool, calm and collected old head? A man that doesnt play the game at the pace thats set but rather a man that sets his own pace.
This season at the Canberra Raiders we have seen the re-emergence of an enigma. The man concerned is none other than Raiders five eighth and veteran of 16 years of top grade Rugby League - Jason Smith.
Much was made of the 34 year-old, former Australian and Queensland representative, fresh from a four year stint in England. Armed with a husky voice and injury issues, very few were of the opinion that he could cut it, including many Raiders' fans.
I could sit here all day and type of quote after quote - some of them from none other than myself - about possible problems with this signing. But the general consensus was that Jason Smith was too old, too slow and too injury prone to cut it in the NRL.
Put bluntly he was "a has been". People questioned whether a Raiders team with him in the halves could even muster a win. Ironically, after an injury to Smith, the Raiders slumped to five losses in a row and now people say we cant win without him. But then who could argue, when the 34 year old returned from injury and single handedly snapped the string of losses?
Smith had a chorus of critics and doubters. But he silenced those critics early on with several sublime performances, most notably against the Roosters in Round 5 and the then resurgent Rabbitohs in Round 3, leading the Raiders to an unbeaten five game stretch to start the season and a joint lead of the competition.
Nevertheless, the question remained: why was Jason Smith such success after a four year stint in England? As stated earlier, Jason Smith is an anomaly, a rare breed of player who doesnt have to adjust to the rapid pace and rigours of your average NRL game. Rather, he sets his own pace. He can simply potter along at his own leisurely speed (often likened to a snail's pace), often touching the ball only a few times per set of six.
But in the limited time he does have the ball in hand, he makes it count. Like a game of poker, he moves slowly, plays concisely and is always thinking a few moves ahead. Often it seems like Jason Smith isn't making anything happen. He pokes, he prods and he takes his time doing it. Like any good poker player he sets the trap and just as quickly as the opposition fall into the trap, the wise old owl springs into action and makes them pay.
He is patient, so much so, he forces the hand of the defence. And when they make a mistake, he has the skills and ability to capitalise. He may be slower but its that exact trait that sets the trap for the opposition.
He is an enigma, like no other player in the world today. As the old saying goes slow and steady wins the race - and as Jason Smith has shown this year one that is still true in todays faster paced game. And perhaps sometimes in this fast paced, high intensity game we all love called rugby league, we forget the value of the experienced old timer. Far too many good players head down the path of early retirement. Lets hope that the timely return of the enigma known as Jason Smith goes some way to reversing such a trend.
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![TiTTieS_[CNTDN]](/data/avatars/m/5/5289.jpg?1151924577){kind=avatar}
We have team unity and harmony - without even having a team in the F7s as you pointed out. Good luck with the comp, jed, as I'm sure you will need it 
Just couldn't be arsed to trawl through all the posts to see what we settled on.
