After playing a vital role in the Six Nations Chiefs’ last two Mann Cup championships, rugged and reliable defender Rory Smith has brought his considerable talents to the team that finished runners-up in the national championship in 2013 and 2014.
The newest member to don green and white will be a cornerstone to the Victoria Shamrocks’ season, which begins tonight.
The two-time defending Western Lacrosse Association champions will entertain the Nanaimo Timbermen at 7:45 p.m. at The Q Centre.
Smith will be front and centre.
“The expectations are to go to the Mann Cup. It’s the only one I have,” Smith said of the 2015 campaign. “Yeah, it feels a little weird because I’ve battled against these guys the last two years in a row, but you gain that respect when you play these teams. I know what to expect coming to this team.”
And the Shamrocks and, more importantly the opposition, know what to expect from the 28-year-old.
“It’s nice to see Rory here. It was nice talking to him, saying, ‘It’s nice that I don’t have to give you the stare down from the other side of the floor from now on,’ ” Shamrocks head coach Bob Heyes said with a grin.
“I think he’s a quiet guy, but a confident guy who will add a huge dimension to the team, with experience and a bit of reputation for sure. He brings that championship dimension. He kind of knows us because he’s played us a lot. As we get into our season he’ll know those areas where we’re good and the areas where we need shoring up.”
There will obviously be more to the Shamrocks than Smith. The organization has gone out of its way to add key pieces for a run at another Mann Cup appearance, which is back in the West this year.
Dan Dawson, Daryl Veltman and Aaron Bold will all be a part of that, but not for a while yet as they continue in National Lacrosse League playoffs. Shamrocks vets Karsen Leung and brothers Jon and Greg Harnett are all still playing with the Calgary Roughnecks (along with newly acquired Veltman). Ryan Dilks is also with Bold on the Edmonton Rush.
But you certainly can’t overlook who is already here and ready to go tonight, as Smith joins Rhys Duch, Corey Small, Scott Ranger, Mitch McLaren, Tyler Burton, Bradley Kri et al. Matt Roik and Cody Hagedorn are in the net to form the trio of goaltenders with Bold.
“Every year we’re building to be stronger and I think we have a good core group of guys,” offered Duch. “We’ve filled a couple of holes and we’re bringing in some big names on offence. It will be nice to have key guys sticking around for the whole season, like Jesse King, as well.”
King might be back and playing this weekend, if not tonight, then possibly Sunday in the return engagement with the Timbermen in Nanaimo.
“Our defence was a solid unit last year and we’ll have that again and our expectations should be to win [a Mann Cup],” said Duch. “We’re bringing in proven winners.
“With Rory, you can build a defence around a guy like that because of his presence. And Dan Dawson — I had the privilege of playing a couple of games with him as a call-up in junior. Other than that, it’s been playing against him and I haven’t enjoyed that,” added Duch. “It will be great to suit up with him. It’s a team full of leaders, but I think that will be a positive thing.”
So for now, the Shamrocks push forward with what they have in their home — and the WLA — opener tonight against what should be an improved and hungry Nanaimo squad.
“Since I’ve coached here, I know it’s all cliché, but it’s one game at a time,” said Heyes. “We can’t look at when Boldy is going to be here or Dawson is going to be here. I have to focus on the 20 guys I have dressed every night and to win that game.
“Our goal this year is to win every seasonal series against every WLA team. Nanaimo is this weekend — we can take care of that series right off the bat and this first game is vital to get off to a good start,” said Heyes, who only has to look to last year’s opening 13-13 overtime tie with the Timbermen as his greatest example.
CLOVER POINTS: A tailgate party begins outside The Q Centre at 5:45 p.m. with the first 300 fans getting free burgers. Player autographs are set for 6:30 p.m.
