NRL: Smith's a puzzling Rooster

Rooster coach Brian Smith left journalists dumbfounded with comments about life in a prison cell. Photo / Getty Images

Brian Smith has a history in his NRL coaching career of making bewildering statements in the heat of the moment.

But he topped them all after his Sydney Roosters sentenced the Gold Coast to a painful 32-6 NRL exit at Suncorp Stadium, leaving journalists dumbfounded and his captain Braith Anasta totally stumped with comments about life in a prison cell.

Several years ago as Parramatta coach, he walked out on journalists at Brisbane's ANZ Stadium before a question had been fired, pointing to the adjoining room next door and muttering: "Go ask the spin doctor in there".

Smith was of course referring to rival Wayne Bennett, who'd used some of his pre-game comments to fire up the Broncos against the Eels.

But last night's bizarre tangent was another one of his best. Asked how satisfying it was taking the Roosters from last place in 2009 to within one win of being crowned this year's premiers, Smith had everyone guessing whether he was serious or just using a metaphor to paint his own life.

"It's hard to believe, but I've got a mate who's spending some time inside for an error he made," said Smith. "I had no idea what to talk to him about the first time I went to visit.

"All I could come up with is that he told me he lives or works his way through the week for his kids to come and visit him on weekends. That's where I live. It's a horrible cave sometimes.

"From one week to the next, that's all I do. In the past I've been guilty of starting to let things get ahead of me, but I've lived in that one week little chamber for most of my life.

"It's not a pretty thing to live with. If you're a family member or a friend, but it's where I live."

A puzzled Anasta gazed around the packed room smiling as Smith's comments left scribes flummoxed.

"He's too smart for me," laughed Anasta. "I didn't know what he was talking about. I was looking at everyone else hoping they knew.

"But you know what ... that's just the person he is. He's a smart bloke. He knows how to get the best out of his players and he knows his own job and how to get the best out of himself, that's what I think he was talking about at the end there."

After three painful grand final defeats, destiny may finally be on Smith's side next Sunday after Anasta's field goal miracle against the Tigers.

"I don't know what destiny is, I just know if you're lucky and you're ready to take your luck you give yourself a good chance of winning," said the 56 year-old Smith. "I haven't won one so I hope to find out [what it means to win a grand final].

"Every time there's a grand final there's one team who wins another who loses. If you've had a good shot at it, and you haven't left anything undone, then I don't think there's any shame in that for anybody. I'd love to feel what that's like on the other side."

And what about going up against Dragons' coach and long-time foe Bennett, who denied him in two of his three shots at premiership glory when Brisbane beat Smith's St George in 1992 and 1993?

"That would be good too," he smiled, as he entered the winners' dressing room.

- AAP