BRIAN SMITH POST MATCH MEDIA CONFERENCE
10 JULY
Q) A VERY COMMITTED PERFORMANCE TONIGHT?
A) Yes it was. I think everyone made a great contribution to the victory tonight. It is what is required on most weekends, but especially when you play the Roosters.
Q) WHAT MORE CAN YOU SAY ABOUT HINDMARSH?
A) I don't know if I have ever seen a more determined or committed performance. Especially when you consider what he did the other night, to back up and play like that... I know there are a lot of courageous players in the NRL.. I don't kno wwhat he runs on but it is high octane.
Q) IS THAT YOUR BEST EPRFORMANCE OF THE YEAR?
A) Yes, easily. Especially in defence. To keep the Roosters to just 2 tries, and one of those off a fumbled bomb is just an enormous effort, and everyone made a contribution to it.
Q) DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHY THE CHOSE TONIGHT TO PLAY LIKE THAT?
A) No. I am thankful for it.
Q) EVEN THOUGH IT WAS EARLY, DO YOU THINK THOSE OPENING 2 TRIES WERE THE TURNING POINT AND GAVE THE SIDE MOMENTUM?
A) Yes I do. For a team like ours that has been struggling for most of the year, and some people would like us to go away but our boys showed tonight that it wasn't going to be tonight that they would go away.
Q) CAN YOU BUILD ON THIS MOMENTUM?
A) I'll tell you next week. That's what it takes - that is the yardstick performance that we need to keep getting to.
Q) THERE ARE 8 ROUNDS TO GO, HAVE YOU WORKED OUT WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO TO MAKE THE SEMIS?
A) Win next week. That's what we have to do.
Q) BRIAN YOU MENTIONED A FUMBLED BOMB BUT APART FROMT HAT YOUR FULLBACK WAS SENSATIONAL AGAIN?
A) Wade has had an outstanding season. If everyone in our Club could get to the level that he has got himself to this year anything could happen for us...and he is doing it consistently for us. He is not content with doing it in one half or making one good run - he sets a high standard. We always knew Wade was a good player and he only left us because he saw a better opportunity for him to play at Souths as we has behind Brett Hodgson here. We welcomed him back with open arms when he became available and he has made every post a winner and I have been rapt with how he has played.
Q) HOW IMPORTANT IS IT HAVING A CONFIDENT FULLBAC K?
A) This is probably the first time he has had the chance to cement a permanent position in First Grade. In the past he scored 27 tries in Premier League a few years back, and he had some good moments at Souths but wasn't able to sustain it - he has had an opportunity here and WOW! I don't know how he does it because he is not a big guy - he has good pace without being lightning quick.
Q) ANY INJURIES?
A) Nothing serious..Dean Widders got a bad cut to his eye and Vella is still blowing up about his field goal that missed but apart from that they are OK.
