NRL 2023: Brandon Smith’s manager reveals how Wayne Bennett no-show cost Dolphins

Brandon Smith was ready to commit to joining the Dolphins, but when he arrived at the NRL’s newest club there was one thing that he couldn’t see.

Brandon Smith handles the ball during a Sydney Roosters NRL training

Brandon Smith’s manager has lifted the lid on claims the Kiwi Test ace dudded Wayne Bennett to sign with the Roosters, insisting the champion hooker never formally committed to joining the Dolphins.

Smith is the Roosters’ marquee recruit this season in their quest for a premiership and his agent Stan Martin has given a detailed account of the forward’s whistlestop tour of several NRL clubs, which began in Townsville and led him to Bondi.

News Corp can reveal one unnamed NRL club suggested a payment outside the salary cap to sign Smith. A shocked Martin told every potential suitor: “No brown paper bags. Everything we do must be above board.

“There was one club that offered me a backhander,” Martin added. “But I had no interest in anything dodgy like that.”

There is no suggestion the clubs named in this story were involved in any wrongdoing.

Brandon Smith’s manager has opened the lid on explosive claims the Kiwi Test ace dudded Wayne Bennett to sign with the Roosters. Picture: Getty Images.

THE PURSUIT

Smith was one of the most sought-after players in the code when he became a free agent on November 1 last year.

The 26-year-old ultimately signed with the Roosters on a three-year deal, but the Chooks were never the front-runners to win the bidding war.

“We ended up seriously considering five clubs,” Martin reveals.

“They were the Cowboys, Titans, Dolphins, Roosters and Storm.

“There were whispers about the Broncos but they were never a serious option at all.

“A few other clubs expressed interest but they pulled out because they wouldn’t go up to the value we were looking for.”

THE TOUR

The Storm dynamo embarked on a 2500km trip along the eastern seaboard in search as offers came rolling in.

Smith started in the far north and journeyed south. It was the NRL’s version of the Leyland Brothers, Smith clocking up the kilometres as he stopped into the three Queensland clubs - the Cowboys, Titans and Dolphins - as the Storm sweated on his final decision.

North Queensland were the early favourites to win Smith’s signature. He had played for the club as a teenager before his move to Melbourne. There was a romantic feel as he walked through the Cowboys’ opulent new $40 million high-performance centre.

“All five ended up tabling similar money actually, so the decision wasn’t about money for Brandon,” Martin said.

“I said, ‘What do you want to do?’ I asked if he had a preference. He said he was open to visiting all the clubs and having a look around.

“Brandon went to the Cowboys first. He had previously been at the Cowboys, so he knew the set up there.

“He had friends up there and he checked out the facilities. He was blown away by the Cowboys headquarters. He said, ‘I think I might go back to North Queensland’. His mum wanted him to go to the Titans. I said, ‘Just wait. Let’s see what else is on offer.’

While multiple teams were in the hunt for Smith, his manager reveals there were only five clubs being considered. Picture: Getty Images.

THE DOLPHINS

TO this day, the Dolphins believe Smith reneged on his word to join the new franchise.

The Dolphins offered a three-year deal worth around $900,000 a season, with a fourth year in Smith’s favour. All up, the Dolphins package was $3.6 million. When Smith left Redcliffe to begin his final stretch of negotiations with the Roosters and Storm, the Dolphins were adamant they had their man.

But Martin takes umbrage at suggestions Smith reneged on the Dolphins.

“Brandon never promised to sign with the Dolphins, nor did he commit to anything,” Martin claims.

“The truth is there was never a handshake deal with Dolphins, that’s not true

“I am his agent. Brandon does not do the negotiating, that’s not his job. He is a nice kid and he just speaks from the heart.

“I think people at the Dolphins were under the impression he was going because Brandon would say, ‘I really like it here, I want to come here’, but that’s Brandon’s way of being polite.

“He is not a liar.

“Of course Brandon was going to be positive. Clubs are asking him questions and he is doing a tour of clubs, naturally you are going to be positive about any place you visit out of respect to the clubs involved.

“Brandon may have intimated to clubs that he may have liked what he saw, but there was never a handshake saying, “Yes, we’re done’ and we didn’t sign anything, except with the Roosters.”

WAYNE BENNETT

THE Dolphins super coach, according to Martin, never formally met Smith. When the New Zealand hooker arrived at the Dolphins, he was greeted by recruitment chief Peter O’Sullivan. Bennett also had an extensive chat with Smith over the phone and he believed his pitch was decisive.

“It was my belief he was coming,” Bennett said. “I’d spoken with Brandon and he said there was not a problem. Then suddenly it was announced he was going to the Roosters. I didn’t speak to him again after that.”

Martin believes Smith left Dolphins headquarters genuinely torn, with two factors creating an opening for the Roosters.

“Brandon didn’t even meet with Wayne, Wayne didn’t turn up to the meeting. Brandon had spoken to Wayne on the phone,” Martin said.

“The Dolphins’ offer was significant, as good as any other club’s. He genuinely liked the Dolphins set-up, he thought to go there as a foundation signing would be a prestigious thing, but he was concerned about the fact they didn’t have a squad. He didn’t know who he would be playing with.

“Brandon is actually a quiet kid. I know he is seen as mouthy and out there, but he is very humble and when he turned up to the Dolphins, he was ambushed by all these cameras and reporters. He didn’t expect to walk into that. He just wanted to have a quiet look at the place and he was shocked by the press that turned up.

“Brandon felt it was like a set-up. It was supposed to be a quiet meeting.”

The Dolphins believe Smith reneged on his word to join their team. Picture: Steve Pohlner.

THE SALARY CAP

AS Smith prepared to head south for crucial talks, Martin made it clear to the Roosters and Melbourne, as he did with their Queensland NRL rivals, that he wanted contractual transparency.

“Brandon wasn’t considering Sydney at all initially,” he recalls.

“He had done all his visiting up north and I said, ‘Do you want me to cancel your appointment with the Roosters?’

“He said, ‘No, we have them scheduled, let’s go down there and meet with them’.

“He met ‘Robbo’ (Roosters coach Trent Robinson).

“The Roosters were great. They didn’t pressure him. We didn’t really have to make a final call so soon, but in the end, Brandon wanted to just make his mind up and get it sorted, so he chose the Roosters.”

But Smith’s manager insists there was no handshake deal and no meeting with Wayne Bennett. Picture: Getty Images.

THE $1 MILLION GAMBLE

IN the NRL, the $1 million contract can be the ultimate curse. Ben Hunt, Anthony Milford, Ash Taylor and David Fifita have all experienced the crushing expectation of delivering bang for big bucks, every single week.

One club was prepared to dangle a $1 million carrot for Smith to quit the Storm. He had a simple message - no thanks.

“Brandon was a little concerned about the $1 million salary,” Martin says.

“He had seen the pressure on other $1 million players in the game. Brandon said to me, ‘Mate if you get a $1 million price tag, you have to dominate every week and the pressure is absolutely f***ing huge and I don’t want that weekly pressure’.

“He never wanted a $1 million deal.

“It’s a real thing. Guys like Jason Taumalolo, Ben Hunt and Daly Cherry-Evans have been through some rough times and the $1 million contract doesn’t help them. Where is Ash Taylor now? The poor bloke struggled. It’s been tough on Dave Fifita, so Brandon made it clear he didn’t want $1 million from any club.

“I could have pushed for $1 million, and some club would have paid it I reckon, but Brandon never wanted to go to that mark.”

Smith’s manager made it clear to Roosters boss Nick Politis he wanted complete salary cap transparency. Picture: Sam Ruttyn.

THE ROOSTERS

WHILE there is a view the Roosters invariably get the big guns they target, Martin revealed the club’s X-factor was coach Trent Robinson.

“Meeting ‘Robbo’ changed everything,” Martin said.

“Robbo is married to a French woman and in their house they speak French.

“We went to dinner with them and Brandon said, ‘I can’t believe how natural those people are’. They went outside for a BBQ and Robbo switched from French to English. His passion blew Brandon away. Robbo sold him. Simple as that. There was a little bit more to it, Mitch Aubusson was another factor. He, Jared (Waerea-Hargreaves) and Brandon went for a game of golf and Brandon was just really blown away by the sense of mateship at the Roosters.

“It was hard for Brandon to leave the Storm. He loves Craig Bellamy (coach) and will always value what the club did for him, but with Harry Grant locked in at hooker, Brandon wanted a starting spot and he has got that at the Roosters.

“He loves being coached by Robbo. He is very comfortable at the Roosters.”