WOLVES boss Tony Smith says new half-back signing Chris Sandow will be better for his first run with the team, even though it was a 49-10 loss on his debut.

The 26-year-old former Parramatta Eels man featured for 80 minutes against a red-hot table-topping Leeds Rhinos side only seven days after arriving from Australia.

Smith said: “Tough for him. He got off a plane only a week before and had only three or four training sessions with the boys. He’ll get to know them and the opposition better as well.

“He’ll get better and he’ll be good for us in the long run.”

The strength of his kicking game was on display, particularly in the first half, while it was a peach of a pass that sent full back Stefan Ratchford racing away in the build-up to Kevin Penny’s second try early in the second half.

Smith highlighted a learning element to Sandow’s game that few would perhaps think of.

“I thought some of his kicking game was good and it’ll get better,” said Smith.

“He noticed at training the difference in the balls to those they use in Australia, in regards to how they float and all that sort of stuff.

“It’ll take him a little bit of time but he showed some patches.”