NRL 2023: Brandon Smith talks Storm final, James Tedesco on Ryan Papenhuyzen’s injury

Brandon Smith still has plenty of love for the Storm, but he does not want to miss the chance to knock them out of the finals, as Melbourne reel from the loss of Ryan Papenhuyzen.

Brandon Smith has a lot of love for Melbourne and Craig Bellamy but his history with the Storm won’t be clouding his judgement this week.

Smith wants to beat Melbourne and beat them bad. He wants to go back to AAMI Park and send the Storm packing.

“Yeah, so excited to go down there,” Smith said.

“I have a lot of love for that club and a lot of respect for the fans and everyone in that organisation.

“Me and Craig had a great relationship. I think everything is all good (between us). Pretty excited, hopefully we can knock them off.

“That would be a dream start to my Roosters career.”

Smith endured some difficult early days at the Roosters but the past month or so have been outstanding, his return to form coinciding with the club making a charge towards an unlikely premiership.

He was brilliant again against Cronulla at Pointsbet Stadium on Saturday night, playing through the pain of a foot injury to help the Roosters keep their season alive.

Smith and the Roosters are headed to Melbourne after knocking off Cronulla. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

Now he needs to back it up given the Roosters will head to Melbourne significantly understrength, having lost Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii (concussion) and Joey Manu (hamstring) in a torrid win over the Sharks.

Suaalii and Manu were the Roosters’ most threatening players in the opening 40 minutes at Pointsbet Stadium but will watch the Storm game from the sidelines. In Suaalii’s case, a failed concussion test earlier this year means he won’t be able to apply for an exemption to play this week.

“I have been good, I wouldn’t stay great,” Smith said.

“We had a lot of honest conversations, me and Trent (Robinson). The way I have been going – obviously injuries didn’t help.

“I have been back for six or seven weeks now and I think we have won six of the games. I am just proud that we can put together some performances on the back of our defence.

“We probably need to start games better. … but we have been coming home strong in the second halves. That comes down to a bit of grit and determination.”

They will need both those qualities as they prepare to head to Melbourne. The Storm were awful against Brisbane on the opening night of the finals but Smith knows better than most that they won’t be that poor again.

Brandon Smith and Cam Munster at a trial game earlier this year. Pic: Michael Klein

The Roosters will have their work cut out.

“They were putrid,” Smith said.

“Hopefully they bring that performance again. That would be great. I don’t think they are going to do that. I think they are going to train hard this week.

“Fortunately for us, (we are) not the same (side) that we played the last two times. We are definitely a more gritty and resilient team.

“Defence wins finals games. That is what everyone knows. Hopefully we can put a bit of polish on our attack.

“To be fair the Sharks turned us away that many times in the first half. We created a lot of opportunities and didn’t execute.”

‘HE’LL BE BACK’: TEDDY’S MESSAGE FOR AILING PAPS

Sydney Roosters captain James Tedesco was watching the opening night of the finals with his wife Marie when he and the rest of the rugby league world were rocked by the sight of Ryan Papenhuyzen suffering his latest setback.

Tedesco’s heart sank.

“I was heartbroken, so sad for him,” Tedesco said.

“I was watching with Marie and I felt sick for him. It was a freak sort of injury. You could see straight away he was in pain.

“I messaged him – he would have got hundreds of messages. I am sure everyone around the NRL would have felt for him. I was enjoying watching him play.

“It’s just another hurdle for him to overcome – he will be back.”

Tedesco reached out to Papenhuyzen with words of support when the Storm superstar shattered his kneecap just over 12 months ago.

He was unaware of the power of those words until Papenhuyzen singled him out when talking about his comeback to this masthead a fortnight ago.

Papenhuyzen had only made a short return to the game before a catastrophic injury. Pics Adam Head

Now the Storm No. 1 has another hurdle to overcome, although the early signs are promising. Papenhuyzen underwent surgery on Saturday morning and received the best possible news – a fractured fibula and torn ligament.

Medical staff are optimistic he will be ready to return to training in the new year.

“I think the whole of the NRL’s heart sank – the way the commentators reacted, the way the players reacted, the way the crowd reacted,” former teammate Brandon Smith said.

“He is one of those superstars of the game who is having a tough run. He will be back, eh will be back

“I was there for most of the recovery he went through (from his shattered kneecap). He is such a loved player, has a lot of respect, never talks smack on the field.

“You would never meet someone have a bad word about him. The good news is he will be right for round one.”

The Storm star is set for another long stint on the sidelines. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

Tedesco will be there if Papenhuyzen needs anything, just as he was the last time he had a fight on his hands.

The pair spent time together at the Wests Tigers in the early stages of their careers, a period of Tedesco’s life when he endured his own well-documented injury problems.

“There is not much you can say,” Tedesco said.

“If he needs anything, I will be there with a message. It gets frustrating but I know he worked so hard to get back from that latest injury.

“He has that mentality. It is a tough period for him but I know what sort of person he is. There is not much you can say.

“It is going to be a tough, tough period for him but I guess the positive thing is he has gone through a harder one with the injury he came back from before.”

Originally published as NRL 2023: Brandon Smith talks Storm final, James Tedesco on Ryan Papenhuyzen’s injury