Brandon Smith responds to ‘nasty comments’ from Braith Anasta on Sydney Roosters’ recruitment

Under-fire Sydney Roosters hooker Brandon Smith has revealed getting off social media hasn’t been enough to shield himself from critics’ attacks, with one former player’s words stinging hard.

Brandon Smith and Braith Anasta.

Brandon Smith has labelled Braith Anasta’s comments of him ‘nasty’ as the hooker revealed his struggle with distancing himself from critics’ attacking the star-studded Sydney Roosters.

The 10th-placed Roosters face St George Illawarra at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium on Friday evening, under pressure to turn around a two-game losing run.

Having escaped with a 27-26 win over the Dragons on Anzac Day, the Roosters now have to contend with a side desperate to bounce back after coach Anthony Griffin was sacked this week.

The Roosters have their own issues. Joseph Manu and Sam Walker are both sidelined through injury, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves is battling to overcome a pectoral issue, there is the distraction of Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii’s impending defection to rugby and form concerns around several key players, headlined by Smith.

Brandon Smith has faced criticism since his Roosters move. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

The former Melbourne Storm star joined the Roosters as a marquee signing in the off-season taking over from Sam Verrills and pegged as the player to lift the Tricolours back into premiership contention.

But the Roosters have struggled for consistency with five wins from their opening 10 games, and Smith, speaking on the latest episode of the Matty Johns Podcast, conceded he hasn’t been able to escape the critics’ barbs.

“It’s been great. My life’s been so good lately — footy’s going great, winning heaps of games. Not much I can complain about, really,” Smith said on The Matty Johns podcast.

“I should’ve brought actually some comments about the nasty things people have been saying about me.

“Braith Anasta was actually in the club today. So, I didn’t want to.”

Listen to Brandon Smith on The Matty Johns Podcast wherever you listen to your podcasts, or press play here:

Asked by Trish Johns had Anasta said something about him, Smith said:

“That’s the hard part. I’ve got off the socials, trying to watch Yellowstone instead of watching NRL 360.

“But then I’ve got a father that watches it all too much and will just send pretty much the script straight to me.”

That script was a veiled reference to Anasta’s comments this week that Smith wasn’t performing as a hooker.

NRL 360 host Braith Anasta. Picture: Tim Hunter.

“I said 12 months ago when he signed that I think Brandon Smith is a lock,” Anasta said on NRL 360.

“His service out of dummy half is not where it needs to be for a premier nine, going to a premier club, where they needed good service to running halves.

“For the first time in a long time they haven’t got their recruitment right.”

Smith revealed former Storm teammate and Roosters coaching consultant, Cooper Cronk, had faced similar criticism following his move to Sydney, despite winning back-to-back premierships in his two seasons at the Bondi club.

Johns, however, predicted a turnaround in fortunes.

“I’ll tell you something now, I’ve seen this a million times. The season is about to spin, turn straight around now,” Johns said. “I absolutely know it.”

Originally published as Brandon Smith responds to ‘nasty comments’ from Braith Anasta on Sydney Roosters’ recruitment