Dave Woods chats with Tony Smith who, this week, celebrated his 500th game in charge as a head coach. Huddersfield Giants, Leeds Rhinos, Warrington Wolves, Hull Kingston Rovers Great Britain and England have all benefitted from the coaching skills of the likeable and hugely successful Australian, whose worked with and helped develop some of the biggest names in rugby league.

Time codes:

02:30 – Remembering his first game in charge for Huddersfield in 2001 and his time with the Giants.

07:00 – His upbringing in Australia and watching his brother Brian play, who also went on to become a hugely successful coach in both England and Australia.

09:00 – His first venture to England was a short stint playing for Workington Town, before returning to lead Huddersfield where he experienced snow for the first time.

12:30 – He says he fell in love with England so quickly because the players were more coachable compared to Australia, where rugby league is the number one sport.

16:30 – Smith took up British citizenship and says he was never particularly interested in returning to Australia to coach.

21:40 – His time at Leeds, where he won two Grand Finals. Smith says it was the most ‘complete’ part of his career.

25:30 – Smith left Warrington and spent 15 months out of the game before joining Hull KR, mentoring and consulting coaches in football for the Premier League and the League Managers Association.

29:00 – He says he was in a bad place mentally during his time out of the game.

30:45 – Over the 500 games he recognises he’s changed quite a lot, and is now much more trusting of his players and assistant coaches to help deliver success.

34:00 – His relationship with the press. He can be quite contrary, but thinks he’s always got on well with them except during his time in charge of England at the 2008 World Cup.

40:15 – What is the future for Smith? He categorically denies he’s been in the running to take over at Leeds following the departure of Richard Agar.

43:15 – He’ll continue to coach as long as he can influence the players and they respond to him.

46:00 – For the first time publicly, Smith declares he would like to be the first coach to win two Grand Finals at two different clubs before he retires.

48:30 – It would be special to take Hull KR to the Challenge Cup Final this year (they’re in the semi-finals).