www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-league/19804702

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-league/19804702

By how we've come on under Tony it helps to show current and future players that the sacrifice all through the season is worth it in the end. So it helps kill that horrible regular drinking culture.

One of the best things Tony did when he first came in was to drop Lee to the bench for a game.

Get rid of Martin Gleeson for me.

you know what's surprising about that, he was big fan of glees for gb/eng.

made him captain temporarily, and also moved him to stand off for a time (which we also did, remember that? crazy days)

Obviously he saw a different side of him when he got here.

It's amazing what you see in people when you see them every day compared to in short bursts. Obviously his attitude while at Warrington was one of them things.

mind he did say, he wanted people commited to warrington at the time, and i know gleeson was trying to get himself an nrl deal at the time, we even came out and sais we'd release him. so, maybe it was just that, rather than 'the other' stuff.

What ever it was I think that the 'other stuff' will have had a considerable influence on Smith's decision. Possibly one of his best long term decisions for the club, especially when you look at what's happened to Gleeson since then.

Turning points :

Tony Smith arriving
Dropping Briers as soon as he could, Smith was in charge !!
Getting rid of Gleeson as soon as he could
Beating Hull KR in the 2009 CC quarter final, coming back from 2 scores down with 15 minutes left
Wembley win #1

Agree with all that Mr F, but I really do think you should include the semi final against Wigan. We had semis before that where we performed well in the first half and then completely fell apart on the re-start. On this occasion we almost fell apart, but significantly not only managed to hold on, but ended up winning relatively comfortably. That game was the real turning point for me.

you should have seen it in the 80's"*. I knew then he was too close to the players and going about it all wrong. I also said he was coaching at the biggest club he ever would. Sadly true. Still I'll remember him now as a legend centre/SR rather than an "Emperors Clothes" coach.

*He also said "Warren Stevens was the best player in the lower leagues by a mile" hence the signing.

I'd really like to get to know Tony's methods more although I realise that won't be possible.

For example did he come in and stamp his authority and put an end to the drinking culture (assuming we had one) by laying down a hard and fast rule about it immediately.

Or did he come and just start tweaking the culture at the club. Did it get to the point where the players made what they thought was a conscious choice to be more professional in that aspect as if they didn't they wouldn't be in line with the wider professional culture at the club?

Maybe binning Gleeson was better than actually making a statement.