Doncaster RLFC: Long-serving player raves over strength of squad
Few players have done more to propel Doncaster RLFC to their current heights than veteran second-rower Sam Smeaton.
The only locally-born player in the current Dons squad, 37-year-old Smeaton is also the longest serving having joined the club seven years ago. Over the years he has finished top try-scorer, picked up a number of club awards and captained the team for several seasons.
Having picked up a knee injury (floating bone) in the first league game of the season back in January, which kept him out of action until recently, Smeaton will be the first to admit that he hasn’t contributed much to the club’s start to the season during which they’ve won seven of their eight league games. But he is hoping that will change going forward.
Despite his lengthy lay-off, Smeaton showed in Saturday’s big 1895 Cup win over Salford, when he also helped create a try, that he hasn’t forgotten the way to the line when coming on as a second half substitute.
Smeaton hopes he did enough to catch the eye of head coach Richard Horne in his second substitute outing, but knows he’s not guaranteed to be involved in this weekend’s top-of-the-table clash against unbeaten leaders London Broncos at the Eco-Power Stadium.
“This is strongest squad that the club have had during my time here and there’s a lot of competition for places. It’s all about players getting into the team and showing consistency,” he said.
“It’s only early season but we’ve got to be pleased with the start we’ve made. We’ve just got to keep turning up for each other and give the best version of ourselves no matter who we are playing.
“Teams like ourselves have certainly got to try and guard against complacency when you are playing some of the weaker teams because there are no easy games physically.”
Smeaton says there will be no chance of any complacency in Sunday’s game given the quality of the opposition.
“We know we are going to have to be at our best – particularly in defence – against the league’s top points scorers,” he said. “We pride ourselves on defence and have niled our last two opponents, but we don’t always get it right.”
Although no-one at the club currently knows whether there will be any automatic promotion to the Super League for this season’s Championship winners, Smeaton says the club should go for it if the opportunity presents itself.
“It’s all about timing,” he said. “The club have built solidly for several years and every time they’ve gone up a level they’ve consolidated and I think it would be the same if we got into Super League.”