2005 NSW State Singles

Pool: At the deep end

By Steve Spinks

Like anyone else, Byron Bay’s Damien Smith likes being good at something.

He likes being unique.

It’s one of the reasons that he has transformed himself into one of Australia’s top Eight-Ball players.

A former Tasmanian champion and Australian runner-up doubles winner, Smith claimed second at the NSW Eight-Ball Championships at Casino’s Oxford Hotel last weekend.

"I like trying to be really good at something," Smith said.

"I like it when the you break and you sink all the balls and pot out.

"It does it for me … I love it."

However, Smith met someone who could pull off all the shots last Sunday.

Banora Point’s Peter Watt defeated Smith in a best of 11 games final 6-3.

"I’m disappointed to lose and to lose a couple of games very close," the Byron Bay property manager said.

"Peter is a bit of genius and I just struck him on a really good weekend.

"I fancy myself against him and I’ve beaten him a few times, but he’s a top-quality player."

As a result of his win, Watt has been selected in the NSW team to contest the Australian Championships in Western Australia next month.

Smith is yet to qualify but NSW will take a team of eight, so the right-hander is considered a good chance of selection.

n Eight-ball is the game of bigs and smalls with the black the last ball to be sunk.

More then 30 players contested the event at the Oxford.