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Country's Brett Kimmorley and Ben Kennedy were dumped from the Blues Origin team to play Queensland on Sunday, while Test incumbents Darren Britt and Scott Hill also failed to crack the state side.
Winger Nathan Blacklock, the NRL's leading tryscorer for the past two years and heading this season's tally, was also overlooked for the NSW side but named in the Country Origin line-up for the match at Bathurst.
Smith said he didn't think any of the players would have trouble lifting themselves for the revived representative fixture.
"It's only natural (to be disappointed) but once they get with other footy players, they're competitors, and they know that all of these players will have had disappointments along the way so they know how to respond.
"They'd be mad if they didn't use this match to prove selectors wrong."
Kennedy didn't make the trip from Newcastle to Penrith for the team medical, withdrawing early today with a back and groin complaint.
Sydney Roosters forward Craig Fitzgibbon was named as his replacement.
"Craig was very close to original selection anyway so it's worked out well for him," Smith said.
While the Country Origin selection was bittersweet for some, other such as fullback Jason Moodie, centres Timana Tahu and Chris Hicks and prop Jason Ryles, were elated at making their senior representative debut.
"They all seem very happy with each other's company and they had a lot fun at training this afternoon so I would hope that everything would be okay."
The Parramatta mentor said the team would train again at Penrith tomorrow morning and travel west to Bathurst later that day.
