Rugby League: Raiders hold secret of lost art for Smith

An ex-Kiwi aims to revive his career by joining a top Aussie team, reports PETER JESSUP.

Tiger Tyran Smith hopes a two-year deal with the Canberra Raiders will provide new challenges that will resurrect his international career.

Smith had an offer to stay at Wests Tigers, but was was given permission to shop around and see what he could get elsewhere.

"A couple of clubs were interested and in the end the Tigers couldn't come up with the money the Raiders did," he said on the eve of his return to Ericsson.

The Raiders will be 27-year-old Smith's seventh club - the others are South Sydney, then the North Queensland Cowboys, the Hunter Mariners in 1997, five games for the Warriors in 1998, the Balmain Tigers in 1999 and the merged Wests Tigers in 2000/2001.

He has had 123 premiership games. It could have been more.

The 197cm, 110kg second rower/lock has plenty of size and ability, but a lack of confidence and some ball-handling errors have held him back.

Consistency has come late. He played 23 games from 26 for the Tigers in their first season as the merged Balmain/Wests unit, and 11 from 15 this year, and only injury prevented him playing more matches.

He has played eight tests since making his debut in 1996, but after the 0-52 debacle at Stadium Australia last year, was not wanted by then-coach Frank Endacott for the 2000 World Cup.

A shoulder injury that kept him out for four weeks wrecked his chances of selection against France, and he has accepted he's up against it time-wise in terms of impressing the selectors before the Kangaroos game in Wellington next month.

"It was disappointing to miss out after I had a good start to the season," Smith said. "Now the challenge is to get back in. I want a big game against the Warriors."

There's nothing special in the Warriors game - he's still mates with many of the team.

"I'm just keen, mate. It wouldn't matter if it was the Warriors or the Broncos, I want a big game. If I get back to my best form, the selectors will have to look at me."

At the Raiders he is likely to shift from lock, tackling number one, to second-row, allowing him more running chances.

"I like playing with the ball on the edges of the ruck."

He has heard good things about former Bradford and incoming Raiders coach Matthew Elliot, who steps up from assistant when Mal Meninga steps down at the end of this year. "They play a good basic game and they're looking at signing two or three top players."

He thinks he will like the country life after Sydney, and the big smoke is still close enough that he can keep in touch with family and friends, including Anthony Mundine.

Smith reckons the Tigers are about to turn a second corner, after a flying start then not winning for nine rounds.

"We got beaten on the bell by the Dragons last game (23-27), with a bit of brilliance from Nathan Blacklock."

The ill-discipline that has kept the Tigers in the headlines this season - Craig Field and Kevin McGuinness suspended for recreational drug use, John Hopoate for anal attacks - had affected the rest only in terms of letting them down, not getting them down, Smith said.

"They've hurt the team by their absence - you take three top guys out of any team and see what happens - so everyone's had to work that bit harder and the young guys have had to step up a bit sooner. "However, we're doing it a bit tough without them [the suspended players], for sure."