Morgan Smithies earns plaudits from Canberra Raiders boss Ricky Stuart following impressive NRL debut

The Halifax-born 23-year-old was named to start in Thursday's NRL round one clash, facing former Wigan team-mate and fellow England international Kai Pearce-Paul, who featured from the interchange bench for Adam O’Brien’s Knights at the McDonald Jones Stadium.

Canberra picked up a 28-12 away victory, with Smithies completing the most tackles of any Raiders player with 46 - even after being taken from the field for a head injury assessment in the first half, in which he passed.

Smithies signed with the Australian capital outfit at the conclusion of the 2023 Super League season on a three-year contract, bringing his eight-year association with Wigan to an end that included 114 appearances, a Challenge Cup, two League Leaders’ Shields and the 2023 Super League trophy.

Head coach Ricky Stuart told the media following the victory: “I said before the game and all week, people have been asking me about our new boys, and I said they can all play footy and Morgan Smithies is a very good footy player.

“I just said to Elliott Whitehead in the box there, he’s a tough kid.”

His performance also earned the respect from fellow forward and New Zealand international Joseph Tapine, who started at prop.

“Pommies are all tough,” the 29-year-old said, who was Canberra’s on-field captain in replacement of Whitehead.

“In the middle, I’m trying to find my bearings and he’s talking the whole time. He’s a good player to be playing with.”