NRL: Brandon Smith opens up on Sydney Roosters regret

Brandon Smith has admitted he was going through the ‘lowest point of his career’ amid his terrible start to life as a cocker spaniel.

After six good years with Melbourne Storm, the Kiwi striker moved to New South Wales to a stacked Roosters side but failed to live up to the hype with injuries and poor form which set back his progress.

He now faces an eight-week sideline with a broken thumb, in another blow to the Roosters after Victor Radley was handed a three-game ban for head-butting Blake Lawrie.

And Smith was candid in his assessment of his first 12 weeks in Sydney.

“It’s not going very well, I have to have surgery,” said Smith press company of the injury he suffered against the Dragons on Friday.

“It’s about eight weeks, according to our physios. It’s a hard pill to swallow. I’m empty.

“I see this as a huge opportunity for myself. I’m not where I want to be and I have six to eight weeks to focus on myself.

“I’ll go over a plan on how I can use this to really improve and hopefully the Roosters will be in contention for the final when I return.”

Smith’s best position at the Roosters has been widely discussed. He was signed as a dummy halfback but came off the trade bench for his team’s loss to the Dragons.

“That’s probably the lowest I’ve felt in my six years,” he added.

‘Not mentally. I’m still happy and all that. But just physically, I was hurt a lot and I didn’t perform.

“We are paid to perform, it is our job.

“When I was in Melbourne, we didn’t have so many penalties and so many errors. We were first most of the time, but now we’re on the back end and we have to learn how to fight.