Adrian Lam: 'Ongoing project' will become 'special player'

The 21-year-old half-back couldn’t have a better mentor than Lam, a legendary performer for Queensland and Papua New Guinea.

And the Warriors coach is delighted with the way Smith has stepped up this term in the absence of so many senior players to direct the play.

“Harry’s been an ongoing project, and sometimes players who are young like that can take time,” said Lam.

“Sometimes they figure it out really quickly, others pick it up as they go along...and sometimes they don’t get it at all!

“With Harry, he’s had a good block of games where he’s had plenty of minutes on the field.

“I remember there being a stat in the NRL that players didn’t start impacting on matches until they’d played 20-plus games.

“Harry’s played around that number now, and I think you saw at the weekend (against Leigh) he was having a bit more control out there – and that’s where we need him to be.

“Maybe if we’d have had another half here, Harry would have been building up his minutes every week – a bit like Umyla (Hanley), I guess, who’s come in and played, gone back out, and come back in.

“With Harry, though, it is an ongoing mission of mine to get him to a level where we want him to be, and he understands that.

“He’s working very hard to get better, and I’m really pleased we’re seeing a few more of those big moments coming off for him.”

Lam also revealed he recently presented Smith with a treasured memento to remind him of how good he can be if he achieves his potential.

“One of my first games back over here was to watch the Australian schoolboys playing against the Great Britain Academy,” Lam added.

“Harry was man of the match in that game, and I was doing some stuff with the Kangaroos at the time, and had a jersey signed by all of the squad

“I gave that to him about six weeks ago – to match his own England jersey from the game – and had a chat with him to remind him how special he was that day. I thought about doing it last year, but I wanted to make sure it was the right time. I wanted to lift his spirits, and say: ‘Look, I know what you’re capable of’.

“He dominated a very strong Kangaroos team, with some great young players who have gone on to play in the NRL.

“Back then you could see his potential, but it’s about taking that next step up as you go through the grades.

“He had a sniff last year, but I think this year he’s really gone up a level – with more levels still to go.

“We’re working hard with him to get him up to that next level and, when we do, he will be a special player.”

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