The mention of Hayden Smith's name gets new Bulldogs coach John Hickey somewhat excited.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
In Smith, who is about to turn 22, Hickey has one of his best assets, in his bid to lead Gunnedah to their first premiership since 1998.
Like all team sports, rugby league success is not governed by any one individual. However, if Gunnedah are to end North Tamworth's five-year premiership reign this season, they probably need the lock-forward to repeat the destructive ball carrying that sliced defensive lines up the middle in 2018.
Hickey said Smith was "terrific". "I watched him last night [at training] and he was very, very good," the mentor said. "His power's terrific to watch. It's great skill he has.
"I told him this: He could play any position on the field. There's nothing he couldn't do. It's only a matter of getting him fit enough to swap roles."
"But [he is] a great kid. He's got a great attitude. I really like his attitude."
Smith was named Gunnedah's second-best player in 2018 behind the now-departed Callum Hayne.
"It was a good season, I enjoyed it," Smith said, adding: "It was one of the best seasons I've had in first grade."
READ ALSO:
The former Bulldogs junior was also runner-up in the club's player-of-year award in 2016, when he debuted in first grade. He was named Group 4 rookie of the year in 2016.
That year he played five-eighth. It was the then-Bulldogs coach, Sean Hayne, who moved him to lock last season.
Following the 2016 season, he had a one-year stint with Greta-Branxton Colts in Group 21. He and his cousin, DJ Smith, were the halves for Group 21 in 2017.
The duo moved back to Gunnedah for last season, with DJ, the No.6, also one of the side's best performers en routed to a 34-28 grand final loss to Norths. DJ has moved to Gilgandra, where the duo hail from.
On Saturday, Smith made his Tigers under-23 debut, in an opening-round 26-20 defeat of North Coast at Coffs Harbour. Used off the bench, he played "about 20 minutes", he said.
The Tigers play Northern Rivers in Armidale on Saturday. Smith's Gunnedah teammate, Lincon Smith, and Boggabri's Matt Gillham, whom Smith went to high school with at Gunnedah, are also in the Tigers' side.
Smith was "sort of surprised" to be named a Tiger this season. "I've tried out [for the Tigers] for quite some time … I was actually excited about the weekend [in Coffs Harbour]."
Greater Northern coach Peter Stevens lauded Smith's showing in the middle, as the Tigers won for the first time since the Country Championships' under-23 model was introduced in 2016.
Stevens said the two Smiths, Hayden and Lincon, were "very strong off the bench". Gillham, who played a full game at hooker, was "very good", he said.
Lincon Smith and Gillham also made their Tigers under-23 debuts.
