Brandon Smith axed as girlfriend caught up in NRL furore around missed Roosters meeting

The situation surrounding Brandon Smith at the Sydney Roosters is getting murkier and murkier, with the NRL hooker's manager seemingly providing a different version of events to the one Smith has. Smith revealed on Tuesday morning that he feared his contract would be terminated after he received a breach notice for missing a team meeting last week.

The New Zealander failed to turn up to the Roosters' mid-season review, which was held one day after their surprise loss to the Cowboys on June 2. The Roosters swiftly moved to hand Smith a breach notice and he's now been dropped for Saturday night's clash with the Eels, throwing his future at the club into doubt.

Smith claimed on Tuesday morning that he was out having breakfast with his girlfriend at the time of the meeting, and didn't have his phone on him when the Roosters tried to get in touch. "It was dumb by me," he told 'The Bye Round' podcast. "You check your schedule before you sleep. But I was thinking on a normal game, you go to sleep and you have a day off after a game.

"Because we had the bye, I was thinking, we're definitely doing it (having a day off). I should've checked and I didn't and then when I got home, (the meeting) was all over. I was out with my partner having breakfast. I left my phone at home because normally after a game we don’t train the next day. But it’s my fault and I’ve got to take responsibility.”

Brandon Smith's manager has different version of events

But Smith's manager Stan Martin has seemingly offered a different story to the one Smith did, saying the hooker simply slept it. “After a recent loss, he got to a meeting late,” Martin told the Daily Telegraph. “The coach was angry. Brandon was the only one late. He slept in and got there late. I’ve spoken to the club. It’s not a major breach.”

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According to AAP, Smith has committed multiple indiscretions since arriving at the Roosters from the Melbourne Storm ahead of the 2023 season. Smith, who is contracted to the Roosters until the end of 2025, said the breach notice was considered a formal warning and came with a suspended fine.

But he admitted he thought his career with the Roosters might have been over. "A lot of rumours go up and about because I got a breach. I was starting to think I was going to get sacked, myself," he said. "It's a warning but also a fine. I don't know if I pay anything, it's suspended. If I get that second breach then I pay that fine. But you don't want a second breach. Not much (more disciplinary action) has really come of it."

Brandon Smith's future at Roosters remains unclear

Smith said the situation left him "pretty sad" over the weekend with the Roosters on the bye. "You can cop sprays but when you get it in an email form, it's a lot harsher," he said. "I'm trying to shift my energy away from it because it's been consuming the whole week of the bye, to be honest."

Smith has since returned to the Roosters, saying he was the "first one in to training" on Monday. But he admitted he was unsure if he would be selected to play in the Round 15 game against Parramatta on Saturday night. Smith said teammates managed to laugh off the missed meeting, but coach Trent Robinson was in a less forgiving mood.

"The boys were funny, making fun of me," Smith said. "Trent was disappointed because it's quite a rookie mistake. I feel like I let people down and I don't like letting people down. It definitely made me want to chill out a little bit and focus on what's really important."

with AAP