Matt Shirvington says Bulldogs winger Reimis Smith could ‘be anything in NRL season 2020

Canterbury young gun Reimis Smith approached coach Dean Pay before the start of the pre-season about a change — and he has sprint champion Matt Shirvington facilitating the switch.

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One taste of NRL football at centre was enough for Canterbury winger Reimis Smith to want to make the move a permanent one next season.

And he has Matt Shirvington on his side with the former Australian sprint champion helping Smith hone his natural ability, saying the 22-year-old “can be anything” thanks to his natural athleticism.

Smith said he approached Bulldogs coach Dean Pay before the start of the pre-season to tell him about his goal to win a starting centre spot next year.

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Smith is putting in the work to make it happen. Photo: Jason McCawley/Getty Images

“I said to him ‘I'd love the challenge of being able to push one in’ … I’ve been dipping my toe in and Deano [Pay] has been giving me a go at training but I’ll be pushing hard for a spot there,” Smith said.

“I’ll be happy with whatever Deano decides. For me it’s the team first and foremost. I don’t mind it out on the wing, you get to score tries but in saying that I would love to play in the centres.”

Smith finished the season as the club’s leading try scorer with 12 tries out on the right edge, an impressive tally in a team that struggled in attack. Smith, the son of former New Zealand international Tyran Smith, has scored 21 tries from 35 games.

A knee injury to fullback Dallin Watene-Zelezniak in round 25 this year opened up a chance for Smith to play at centre.

The winger has already shown plenty of determination. Photo: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images

Smith scored a try in an upset win over Brisbane with the experience whetting his appetite to be closer to the action and to have a bigger role in Canterbury’s attack.

“I want to keep evolving, players can’t just have that one position they play. For me, I like to evolve my game … I’m very competitive. Pushing one in is a bigger challenge but I also want to be closer to the action, I’d like to get earlier ball and not just be finishing off on the wing. I want to help create opportunities and I back myself in being able to do that,” Smith said.

Smith’s centre ambitions will see him battle it out with teammates Morgan Harper, Kerrod Holland and Will Hopoate over the course of the pre-season.

To help convince coach Pay he deserves a shot in the centres at NRL level, Smith, who stands at 196cm, has been working on his speed and explosiveness.

Hoping the hard work in preseason pays off. Photo: Brett Costello

Shirvington said Smith was a hard worker.

“I know he does work outside of the club in the off-season working his agility and speed,’’ Shirvington said. “The hard thing for the taller guys like Reimis is gaining that explosive co-ordination. But he has done such a good job at getting the most out of his body,” Shirvington said.

“It’s all about power transfer, if you have the strength to push and you can connect that to the ground you can be fast … Fast in take-off, fast in changing direction or turning around, picking a ball off the ground and taking off through the line.

“And he has all the right attributes … height, strength and now he’s got the agility to back it up. He can be anything. The sky’s the limit for him.”

Smith is dialling up the speed for his centres shot. Photo: Brett Costello

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The specialised sprint training is having the desired effect. Smith said he feels as fast as he has ever been even after suffering a serious leg break in 2016.

“I had a few injuries and that stunted my speed but now I’m starting to get my legs back again. I feel like I’m getting quicker, faster off the mark and I feel like I’m starting to get to the speed I was before, maybe even better,” he said.