"Assisting in the education and development of football coaches and players at all levels
Brian Smith Parramatta Eels 1997 - 2001
"Skills work seems to be a responsibility that some coaches neglect. The new trend in the game, and our players are giving us great feedback on it are the modified games, skill games or challenge games.
"We set the parameters and play on smaller fields with less players and lay down the rules of the game. At Parramatta we were very keen to improve on the kicking aspect of our game, not the actual kick but the reaction of the players to the kick, both when the opposition kick and when we kick.
"So we introduced games which the players absolutely loved. In fact they are telling us that they get more out of those games in conditioning as well, because it is more game related, and they push themselves even harder". Brian Smith
3/03/01
PARRAMATTA'S BRIAN SMITH is set to become one of the National Rugby League's longest-serving coaches after opening negotiations with the club over a new contract. Now in his fifth year with the Eels, a new deal would put Smith behind only Penrith's Royce Simmons and Brisbane's Wayne Bennett, his opponent tonight, in time spent at the one club
Simmons recently re-signed with the Panthers for a further two years, but Bennett - the Broncos coach since 1988 - is expected to retire sometime in the next few seasons
More interviews and photographs will be added during the 2001 season as we speak to the coaches.
ANDERSON I BENNETT I FOLKES I GRAHAM I LANG I MENINGA I MURRAY I PEARCE
