Minichiello admitted to feeling ''weird'' when it was announced last week Brad Fittler would be replaced by Newcastle coach Smith next season.

But the former Test and NSW star, who has now outlasted four coaches at the club, said the Roosters needed to be reigned in after a scandalous season.

''I think he's a disciplinarian and he likes to discipline the team and I think we need a bit of that, so that should be good,'' Minichiello said yesterday.

''It was a weird feeling watching the footy the other night and it got announced but the thing is we're going to finish off this year with Freddy and then there's a new, fresh start at the beginning of pre-season.

''He'll [Smith] bring his culture and that sort of stuff and everyone's just got to jump on board.''

Minichiello has had to watch helplessly from the sidelines with an ankle injury for the past 18 weeks as the Roosters battled poor form on the field and bad behaviour off it.

Smith will come to the Roosters with a record of pulling wayward players into line and making unpopular cuts to the playing roster.

In his first year at the Knights, Smith faced a barrage of bad press and hostile reactions from parochial fans when he axed ten players including worshipped Hunter Valley products Josh Perry, Clint Newton and Adam Woolnough.

But three seasons later, Smith has taken Newcastle from wooden spoon favourites to premiership contenders.

Minichiello said the Roosters' off-field, alcohol-fuelled indiscretions had set the course to have them facing their first wooden spoon since 1966.

He said the club was in the process of fixing the culture.

''It's frustrating to see us and the club at the bottom of the table,'' he said.

''We don't want to finish with the wooden spoon so it's definitely a goal in the last seven weeks to win some games and help Freddy out.''

The 29-year-old will make his return for the Roosters on Monday night with a surprise addition of a C scrawled next to his name name following injuries to Craig Fitzgibbon and Braith Anasta.