Saints outcast seeing Red

Smith: Aiming to impress

I'm obviously a St Helens lad and I'd love to play for them but obviously it's not happened like that...I've got to take it on the chin and hopefully I can have a good year here at Salford.

Matty Smith
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St Helens outcast Matty Smith is hoping to give his career a much needed shot in the arm when he takes the field for Salford against Hull KR on Sunday.

Smith had hoped to cement his place as Sean Long's successor this year after spending last season on loan to newcomers Celtic Crusaders.

But the 22-year-old scrum-half's dream of a return to Knowsley Road was dealt a double blow by the emergence of Kyle Eastmond and the return of fellow loan player, Scott Moore

And now Smith, whose contract with Saints runs out this year, is hoping to make a good impression on Reds boss Shaun McRae in their opening match at Craven Park.

"I thought I was going to go back there and start playing for them," said Smith, who made his Saints debut as an 18-year-old in 2006.

"But when they said I needed to go back out on loan again, my agent went looking for a club and Salford were the ones most interested in me.

"I'm obviously a St Helens lad and I'd love to play for them but obviously it's not happened like that.

"I spoke to Mick Potter just before the year started and he said I was still in his plans.

"They had to give Kyle Eastmond a go because he's obviously playing really well at the minute and got picked for England.

"I've got to take it on the chin and hopefully I can have a good year here at Salford.

"I'm out of contract at Saints this year so I'm playing for a contract with any club really. Hopefully, I can impress Shaun and get a contract here."

Smith saw his career disrupted by injury last year, making just 16 appearances for the Crusaders in a stop-start season in Bridgend.

One of six new faces, Smith will join former Saints team-mate Steve Tyrer, ex-Leeds pair Ashley Gibson and Jodie Broughton and Australian utility back Daniel Holdsworth, who are all making their Salford debuts at Craven Park.

Hull KR coach Justin Morgan said he had been impressed by McRae's transfer dealing and is expecting a tough battle at Craven Park.

"It's a tricky one," said Morgan, who will give debuts to Matt Cook and Mike Ratu on Sunday.

"They've certainly strengthened and the arrival of Holdsworth, Gibson, Broughton and Tyrer will give them a bit more strike power."