Re: All Time Superleague 13 : Thu Feb 25, 2021 9:32 am
vastman wrote:
There is no doubt Smith could play and as you say he had an outstanding RL brain but there was clearly an issue with the players temperament.
Ask yourself this, what was such a talented player doing in SL let alone at its least fashionable club? Imho it’s because he couldn’t handle expectations and the pressure that went with it. Exemplified by his alcoholic fuelled exit from the club.
Brough had his demons and he too could occasionally choke in big games but compared to Smith he was Mr Consistent. He was an all round far better player imo but what I feel is less up for debate is who had the heart and who didn’t.
Truth is imho that if anything Broughy was too headstrong and too gutsy too the point where teams that could really challenge steered clear of a player who would almost certainly clash with other star players. Loved to have seen how he’d have gone at a big club but in truth it probably wouldn’t have worked.
For Smith it definitely didn’t.
Ask yourself this, what was such a talented player doing in SL let alone at its least fashionable club? Imho it’s because he couldn’t handle expectations and the pressure that went with it. Exemplified by his alcoholic fuelled exit from the club.
Brough had his demons and he too could occasionally choke in big games but compared to Smith he was Mr Consistent. He was an all round far better player imo but what I feel is less up for debate is who had the heart and who didn’t.
Truth is imho that if anything Broughy was too headstrong and too gutsy too the point where teams that could really challenge steered clear of a player who would almost certainly clash with other star players. Loved to have seen how he’d have gone at a big club but in truth it probably wouldn’t have worked.
For Smith it definitely didn’t.
Completely agree. But those personality traits that somethimes got Brough into trouble are also what helped make him the player he was. Best half back in my time watching Wakefield.