E-Bike Mishap Teaches Roosters Star a Valuable Lesson
Sydney Roosters centre Billy Smith once harboured a quiet disdain for the young teenagers zipping around his Bronte Beach neighbourhood on e-bikes. “I live down at Bronte Beach, I see the 12-year-old and 13-year-olds fly past me, and I always judged them for going too fast and being reckless,” Smith admitted. His perspective, however, underwent a dramatic shift after a personal encounter with the perils of the popular electric steeds.
A high-speed incident involving Smith himself, while riding his e-bike in the Moore Park precinct, resulted in a concussion and a stint on the sidelines, forcing him to miss several NRL games at the season’s outset. This “high-speed prang” apparently spurred a stern reaction from Roosters officials, who subsequently mandated helmet use and discouraged any “skylarking” among the playing squad.
Reflecting on the turn of events, Smith remarked, “It’s funny how life turns out sometimes. It was a good life lesson.” His teammate, prop Lindsay Collins, had seemingly foreseen such an outcome. “He’ll get his lesson – we’ll all get our lesson from it,” Collins had predicted. “The little kid comes out inside you, and you can muck around a bit on it. But you need to realise these things are actually dangerous, and you need to be sensible on them.”
The practicalities of training at the Roosters’ facility, which suffers from limited parking, mean that many players rely on e-bikes and electric scooters for their daily commute. Following his own incident, Smith has adopted a more cautious approach, opting for a heavy-duty helmet.
The immediate aftermath of his crash saw Smith contemplating the potential reactions of Roosters coach Trent Robinson and chairman Nick Politis. “Of course you jump to those conclusions,” Smith stated when questioned about their anticipated responses. “I was pretty banged up. I was just worried about my health and safety. It was a good lesson for me. I literally came off the bike and hit my head on the floor. It was a concussion, plain and simple.”
Adding to his challenging start to the season, Smith reinjured his knee shortly after returning for the Roosters in round four. The injury required cartilage removal and further time away from the field. He has only managed to play his third game of the season recently against Melbourne.
Smith elaborated on the frustrating knee recovery: “The knee took a little longer [to recover] than I had hoped, and every time I was close to getting back, the knee would swell up. It was three steps forward, four steps back. I took a couple of weeks to focus on the knee and trained away from the team.” Despite these setbacks, his focus remains steadfast. “Footy is footy, you’ll never be at 100 per cent, but it’s about getting yourself in a position where you can perform at a high level. That’s my goal at the minute.”
Smith’s performance on the left wing against the Storm was described as solid, and he is expected to retain that position when the Roosters face the Raiders in Canberra this Friday. He will continue to play on the wing until Daniel Tupou recovers from his calf injury. Tupou’s return is anticipated for the Roosters’ next home game against Cronulla in round 16, a match that will also mark the club legend’s 300th NRL appearance.
While Smith’s preferred position is centre, he understands the need to be patient, especially with Hugo Savala proving his worth in a positional switch from the halves. “We have such a strong squad and strong roster, if you miss games of footy, and someone plays well in your spot, it’s [your position is] up for grabs,” Smith observed.
He expressed admiration for Savala’s recent performances. “It’s been cool to see ‘Fluff’ [Savala] do his thing. I’ve even taken a few things away from watching him play. But I’m a centre, I know that’s where I want to play. He’s a half, he’s silky, and he’s brought that silkiness to the centre position.”
Recent TV footage captured coach Trent Robinson delivering a stern address to the players following their significant loss to the Storm. Smith characterised this moment as a crucial “line-in-the-sand moment” for the team.
The Sydney Roosters boast one of the most talented rosters in the NRL, yet they have struggled with consistency and maintaining their intensity for the full 80 minutes of a match. Their upcoming challenge sees them pitted against the Raiders, featuring an in-form Ethan Strange, who has prior experience within the Roosters’ system. This encounter promises to be a stern test of the Roosters’ resolve and their ability to implement the lessons learned, both on and off the field.
