Panthers prop Lindsay Smith has admitted his recent stint in NSW Blues camp has given him a confidence boost heading into the backend of the season.
The 25-year-old was called up to be part of Laurie Daley’s squad for Origin II in Perth as well as the decider in Sydney. And while he was 19th man on both occasions, Smith said it was a “cool experience” rubbing shoulders with the game’s best.
“That’s where you want to be at the end of the day – in and around those camps,” he told the Weekender.
“To be around the calibre of players and learning off them was pretty special and nothing I’ll take for granted.
“Being in those camps, I guess, does give you a confidence boost because it’s recognising what you’ve done week in, week out. But it’s about bringing that back to Clubland and putting your best forward.”
Smith’s first game back from State of Origin duty was a banger, with the likeable St Marys junior scoring his first try of the season against the Parramatta Eels last Sunday evening.
“That try definitely felt good,” he said.
“It was a little bit of a selfish play, but it was good to get the ball down that’s for sure.”
The Kangaroos forward was one of six try scorers in Penrith’s monster 32-10 win over their western Sydney neighbours. Smith said his side’s attack has been moving in the right direction of late.
“We were definitely better in the second half than in the first,” he said.
“It was good to get a bit of ball and string some of our attack together, which I think is moving in the right direction. But we still have a long way to go.”
Another boost the Panthers received before kick-off last Sunday was the inclusion of co-captains Isaah Yeo and Nathan Cleary into the side. The pair – bitterly disappointed from the Origin decider – managed to shrug off their demons to produce solid performances.
“It was pretty special having them both out there,” Smith said.
“I think they both played 80 in Origin and to back up a few days later, especially after the defeat, gave us all a boost because we know how much that loss would have drained them physically and mentally.
“For them to put their hand up and want to back up definitely gave us a boost. If they’re doing that, you want to be putting your best foot forward that’s for sure.”
While Penrith will welcome back Dylan Edwards and Brian To’o, both Cleary and Yeo will sit out this Friday night’s clash against the struggling South Sydney Rabbitohs at CommBank Stadium.
The last time the two teams met was back in Round 4 when the Bunnies put on a clinic in the first half to lead 28-0.
Smith said he’s wary of the Rabbitohs despite their lowly position on the ladder.
“Souths haven’t got the results they’ve wanted lately, but they are a side that has strike across the park and they have a pretty good coach, so it’s definitely a team to be wary of,” he said.
“You know on their day when they put their best foot forward they are hard to beat. It’s about recognising that and understanding we need to bring our best on the weekend.”
Nathan Taylor
Nathan Taylor is the Weekender's Deputy Editor and Senior Sports Writer. He also compiles the weekly Chatter on the Box TV column. Nathan is an award-winning journalist, who has worked at the Weekender for a decade.