League great Andrew Johns has urged clubs to better “manage” and discipline big characters as the Brandon Smith saga continues at the Roosters.
Smith was issued a breach notice by the club after he failed to attend its mandatory mid-season review last week.
The 28-year-old described the incident as a “rookie mistake”, fearing the situation could prompt the Roosters to terminate his contract.
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After slapping him with the breach notice, the Roosters this week dropped Smith from the side for Saturday night’s match against Parramatta.
It is rumoured that Smith is currently working through personal issues and Johns believes the breach notice was a much-needed wake-up call for the Roosters star.
“There’s always three sides to every story. Their side, your side, and the truth,” he said on Wide World of Sports’ Immortal Behaviour.
“The rumours that are floating around are that there’s some personal issues going on which is no one’s business. We can’t speculate if they’re true.
“If he’s bouncing off walls and having some dramas, I hope he gets the help he needs. Hopefully, he sorts it out because everyone loves him in the game.
“He’s such an infectious character and he’s great for the game … but with [personalities like Smith’s] they sail close to the wind and sometimes need to be managed.
“Maybe this is the kick in the backside that he needs.
“He’s a great fella, real big character… Everyone knows he is a character but it’s probably a time where he needs to reset and get focused again.”
Johns credited Smith’s honesty, describing him as one of the “rare” players in the competition who “says what they think.”
“A lot of players have got their guard up where [Smith] is as honest as they come. They could offend people but they don’t care, it is what they think,” he said.
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The rugby league Immortal called for Roosters fans to remain patient with the star as he struggles to adapt to life in Sydney and a system outside the Melbourne Storm.
“There still trying to work out combinations and I know it’s been two years but be patient,” said Johns.
“I have no doubt they are going to be there at the end of the year and winning takes it all away.
“When he was at Melbourne he was playing between dummy-half and that running lock position. They’ve [the Roosters] purely seen him as a dummy-half.
“He’s not one of those players like Api Koroisau who gets out of dummy-half or a Wayde Egan who plays with the markers and around the ruck.
“He is just a get out and run or pass the ball straight off the ground.
“I think they are still working out how to play with him and how to play with different halves. Their halves have chopped and changed this year…
“He’s a class player. [The Roosters] will work it out, they are a great club with a great coach.”