smh 31.5.05. said:
Parramatta’s quick-witted whiz-kid is made of Sterling stuff
Andrew Johns, Brett Kimmorley and Craig Gower will probably continue to swap the Test halfback job around for another two or three years, but the next player to break through the prized position will be Tim Smith.
It’s not too early to predict the enormously talented youngster will go that far. The things he has done as a 20-year-old rookie in just 11 games for the Eels and the rate at which he is improving make it a safe bet.
The Gold Coast-raised Smith will play for Queensland in State of Origin and he will play for Australia. It is just a matter of time.
Two more prime examples of the special things Smith can do came in the 34-26 win by the Eels against Cronulla on Saturday night.
Seeing that Sharks winger Luke Covell had come in a bit too far in anticipation of a grubber kick into the in-goal, Smith adjusted his kick on the run and lobbed the ball over Covell’s head for winger Eric Grothe to take it on the full and score. It was fabulous pinpoint stuff.
And passing from left to right – naturally the less comfortable direction for a right handed player – he delivered a bullet like and beautifully flat cut-out pass for another Grothe try. It was a dynamic piece of football.
Smith is not the fastest halfback around. In fact, he is well back in the race. But a former Parramatta halfback – Peter Sterling – wasn’t fast either and it didn’t harm his game. Sterling was fast in the mind and so is Smith. He has got the kick and he’s got the pass.
The kid has a great attitude. There is no suggestion, when he is interviewed, that he is getting carried away with himself. What comes out of his answers is enthusiasm, his desire to learn and the fact he is really enjoying himself. There are already a lot of youngsters wanting to be this kid and there are going to be a lot more very soon.
Parramatta coach Brian Smith is no relation to Tim, but he talks about him like any proud father would talk about his talented son.
“His ability to cope with pressure, his ability to shake off errors and just get on with it…it’s natural to him” the veteran coach said.
“It’s always been in him and it’s a case of keeping him doing that rather than educating him on how to do it. The biggest thing to make you believe [that Tim Smith is something special] is his ability to play in the area close to the opposition line. From their line to the 20-metre line…that’s his place. He lives there.”
“One way to look at him would be to sat he has got a truckload of things he would need to work on to become a representative halfback, but a good player can always find ways to get around those issues.”
“The thing he needs is time to develop, like any player does, and I just think it would be the right thing to give him time to get the emotional side of his game right” [before the representative selectors consider him].
“The grounding he is getting now could see him reach that big league and someone who is really great at it. I believe that he is a potential test player in two to four years.”
Grothe said it was awesome feeding off the halfback’s creativity. “He just sees things,” Grothe said. “I don’t know how he sees them, because I don’t see them, but he’s got a knack for it. He was doing it in the lower grades last year and now he’s doing the same stuff in first grade. He’s amazing.”
There is plenty of time for Smith to come through, and he would no doubt get that time. When the representative selectors are ready to pick him it will really be something worth watching.
The statistics show that Smith is the leading halfback or five-eighth when it comes to having a hand in tries this season.
My advice to not only Eels followers, but also league fans, is to sit back and enjoy watching it unfold.
