Veteran Parramatta back-rower Ben Smith has revealed he'll hang up his boots at the end of the season but he believes a return to the glory days is not far off under coach Brad Arthur.
The 29-year-old will quit Sydney after more than 11 years and return to his hometown of Gunnedah, near Tamworth, having been a staple of the Eels side for more than a decade.
Smith was among the 12 players whose names were written on a whiteboard by former coach Ricky Stuart last year informing them in a team meeting they had no future at the club.
But with 12 months still left on his contract incoming coach Brad Arthur opted to keep him after Stuart left to coach Canberra.
Smith refused to castigate Stuart, whose appointment at the Raiders has coincided with that club enduring one of the worst seasons in their history with a first wooden spoon a real possibility.
But he has nothing but praise for the way Arthur's transformed a club that finished bottom of the ladder in the last two seasons, into finals contenders, who came within a whisker of beating an expensively-assembled Canterbury on Friday night.
"I always had a good relationship with BA when he was here as an assistant a few years back," Smith said.
"He is a coach you want to play for and a great person away from football.
"I think the club is in good hands with him and there's a lot of good juniors coming through.
"There is so much promise coming from these boys we have now.
"The Canterbury game was almost semi-final football and although we lost we showed we can compete with the best sides. A year ago we may have lost that game by 50."
In addition to getting Jarryd Hayne back to his 2009 Dally M Medal form, Smith said Arthur deserves credit for unlocking the enigma that is Chris Sandow as the mercurial halfback is enjoying the most consistent season of his career.
"Haynesy can only be as good as the players around him," he said.
"Chrissy has been in the best form, certainly since joining Parra. Corey Norman has also been great and that all takes the pressure of Haynesy and allows him to do what he does.
"Brad given so many young guys coming through a chance who are 18 or 19, 20 and they have so much potential.
"With Haynesy, Timmy Mannah and Chrissy here as well the future is very good."
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