Where do you go after the best year of your life?
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That's the question Adrian Smith has grappled with in the lead-up to the 2024 season.
As any Group 4 fan will recall, the Moree Boars fullback produced numbers verging on the ridiculous last year. He scored 24 tries, and topped the point-scoring charts with 283 - almost double that of the second-placed Robbie Doolan.
In discussion with the Leader, Smith revealed what had spurred him to such rare heights.
"[In 2022], I felt like I got snubbed for Fullback of the Year," he said.
"As a joke, I thought I'll come out one better, and we started the season off 10 times better and went on to do well. I don't think I'm going to top that this year."
Going by the results from the first round, it looked as though Smith may indeed struggle to replicate that same form.
Normally a sharpshooter when it comes to conversions, he only kicked two from eight attempts against Dungowan.
"It was the first game, and I didn't really kick much during the off-season," Smith said.
But at Jack Woolaston Oval on Sunday, when the pressure was on in a grand final rematch against the North Tamworth Bears, he returned to his slick best.
Smith's trademark speed and agility came to the fore as the Boars overcame the reigning premiers, 42-16. He finished the game with one try and seven conversions from seven attempts.
"I'm feeling a bit more confident now, they're coming off the boot a bit better," he said.
"I was a bit rusty in that first game, and I feel like I'm back into the groove now. The boys took a bit of pressure off me with everyone else backing me up."
The first half of the game was what everyone in attendance expected.
At the 40-minute mark, the Boars had ground their way to a 12-6 lead - but it came at a cost.
Norths lost Damien Scott early in the game after he copped a thunderous head knock in a collision with Chris Vidler, while Moree captain-coach Mick Watton was likewise forced to sit the rest of the game out after another big hit to the cheek left him barely able to stand minutes before half time.
After the break, however, the tune changed dramatically.
Moree scored three times in the first 10 minutes of the half to extend their lead to 36-6. The hosts scored two late tries, but by then it was futile as the Boars had clearly found another gear.
In the aftermath, Bears coach Paul Boyce was blunt and gracious.
"I think we just got really complacent after half time," the third-year coach said.
"We let in 18 points after nine minutes, and we just couldn't recover. They just beat us to everything, they were more enthusiastic, had more energy, and played some good footy. They were well-disciplined right across the 80 minutes.
"Credit to Moree, they got today."
His head cleared after that nasty knock, Watton agreed to speak to the media and noted his pleasure with how the side had improved from their first-round performance.
Against a dangerous and very motivated Norths outfit, Moree limited the Bears to 16 points - which Watton said was "really pleasing".
"It was just a really good team performance," he said.
"I was really happy that we put that amount of points on them and kept them to 16 points in the end. I'm pretty happy with the defensive effort."
And, he noted, it was nice to have Smith back firing.
"We had a little chat last week, and he was a bit rusty in his first game," Watton said.
"But he bounced back today. He's a great little player and highly valued in our team, and we've got utmost faith in him. We knew he'd bounce back, and he was fantastic today."
