Mitch Garbutt believes learning to handle pressure could turn Leeds’ season around
MITCH Garbutt knows a thing or two about Rohan Smith – he helped him come through as a player.
He also knows just how much expectation Leeds’ new boss will have – and how much pain players will be going through - after learning just how big a part the club is of the city.
Former prop Garbutt returns tonight aiming to increase the Rhinos’ relegation woes by inspiring Toulouse to victory.
If the French side manages it, it will only add to the clamour Smith will have to put up with after being both part of their 2015 treble-winning side and battles to beat the drop in 2016 and 2018.
Garbutt, coached by Smith at Brisbane Broncos’ Under-20s and who still speaks to pals at Leeds, said: “I know how hard a place Leeds is when the Rhinos aren’t winning, the city and fans are definitely invested.
“When the Rhinos aren’t playing well, it hurts them too. When you’re winning it’s probably the best place to be but when you’re losing it weighs a bit heavier than in other places.
“When you’re successful, people want success straight away. When you come in and it doesn’t happen immediately, it seems to be deemed a failure – that’s what they’re going through at the moment.
“I’ve a big soft spot for Leeds and as a club, they’re not far away from where they want to be but it’s a tough place to be when they’re not going well and it’s about handling that pressure.”
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Smith is back in Australia, meaning Jamie Jones-Buchanan will be in charge tonight.
But the 40-year-old, nephew of Hull KR chief Tony, is ready to balance the short-term target of winning with the long-term one of developing players.
He said, detailing how his time at Bradford when they went under in 2016/17 taught him plenty: “It’s a week-to-week opportunity to get a result but I always have an eye on next week, next month, next year.
“Identifying the best way of preparing for each week’s opposition is key for me – how to slow down or take away their threats. If you can find ways of taking on the opposition, that can go towards that longer term way of playing.
“If you put all your chips in every week with no thought to next week, you’re setting yourself up. You can’t play do or die rugby every week but you have to give yourself the best chance of winning.”
Smith – coach of Queensland Cup side Norths Devils - also hit back at those who claim he is too inexperienced as a head coach, adding: “Plenty of coaches have come over from Australia with similar backgrounds – Kristian Woolf is doing great and there’s Justin Holbrook, Trent Robinson and Michael Maguire.”