As he was an England inetrnational (albeit 2nd tier to GB at the time) already you would think that the wage increase wouldn't be massive. The lad has been around the first team for 4 years and counting. he will probably now be on a decent wage.

Yes I think everyone (even me) was aware of that.



Not sure whether a reduction would apply to the remaining term of his existing deal but that is a possibility overall especially if Leeds were aware of his (unexpected?) RFL testimonial kick back outside the serial cap.

Are an individual player's personal sponsorship earnings (fees, call them what you will) outside the salary cap?

I stand to be corrected, but I think it depends on who the sponsor is. If they have any connection with the club, be that through sponsorhip, or whatever, then yes it is. That was part of Bradford's cap problems, an individual sponsored a player (Hape?) and had no connection with anything else, hence not cap eligible money. They then started advertising in the programme, so it became cap eligible.

That's a serial cap, not to be confused with a salary cap.

What's a serial cap, a hat worn in Corrie?

According to todays YEP theres a chance Smith could be released by June to start pre-season training with Wasps

If he is off seems either bad luck or bad planning on the clubs behalf?

We released Toopi and appeared to be on the verge of signing Soliola as part of the Tansey switch to the Roosters only for that to fall through, then we give Smith the Number 3 shirt and say he's going to be one of our main centres this year (i know injuries mean its not really happened yet).

And then Senior decides after years of hardly missing any games for us that hes going to miss almost half of the games played so far



Lots of pressure or oppertunity now depending on your viewpoint on
Watkins/Gibson/Ablett if Smith does leave.

If that does happen thats appalling management by GH.

Something's not right.

You've got an ageing centre who's coming to the end of his career (Senior) and two other centres who are far from being top drawer.

Then you've got a young British utility back who can play very well in all the back positions who decides to leave for rugby union?

If true it stinks of bad management, wrong priorities and bad planning from Mr. Hetherington.

Agreed.

What on earth is going on ? I know smithy hasn't always been a management favourite - Peacock said himself smith nearly got offloaded last season for attitude problems but got his act together and really knuckled down. I wonder if this situation has anything to do with this. Whether smiths suprise surge to being a top performer has caught GH out.

My head is going to explode.

I mustn't be nasty to the previous two posters but come on. really. FFS.

Bad management.

Why?

Do you know what money Wasps have offered Smith? Do you know how much he has demanded to stay?

I'd imagine it would be bad management by GH to match Wasps offer.

So if Smith is going to leave anyway, why not release him early and get a transfer fee.

Let's face it, now Webb is fit, he's going back to the wing fast and we've got Donald and Hall

Bad management? Idiots!

ATEOTD if Wasps are offering him silly money there's not much anyone can do, personally I think he would be mad to leave at this stage of his RL career, he seems to have just about got his act together and now showing what he can do.

Agreed, surely to get a transfer fee would be good management!

Anyway i trust GH when it comes to good management when RU contracts are concerned, Mr Harris anyone??

Thank you christopher. My anger has subsided. The site is not full of idiots after all.

Look at things simple Gareth, I agree with you.

But put the simple things to one side for a moment. In October after a MOM winning GF performance, GH announced that Smith would be going nowhere and that a new contract would be on the table.

That did not happen, and has still not happend. In that time now Wasps have come in. Had we sorted the issue out in October we would probably (although not certainly) not be facing this now. That could be regarded as lapse management, or at the very least pure arrogance.

Again that said though, it would be stupid for GH to match what the probably offer is from Wasps. Nobody should be paid silly money, regardless of how good or what their potential is.

Yeah, chuck a huge wedge of the salary cap at a player who might or might not be able to perform in your position of biggest need. That's the way forward.

Yours

Wigan Warriors

How do you know this?

What? How do I know the contract was not offered?

If so, the same reason I posted on here previously about the deadline he has put on it. The same reason I knew about Scrutons situation last year, and offer. Smiths best mate and good friend of Scruton sits behind me in the Carnegie Stand.

Of course he could be bullpooper, but I am pretty sure he aint. Mainly because Smith sat with him on his other seat last year at one of the games.

So you are saying that Leeds have not offered Smith a new contract on the say so of some bloke who sits behind you?

you getting the picture?

No I am saying they had not offered him a new contract when I previously posted it. It might well have happend since, and considering the piece in the YEP yesterday, I reckon it might.

And also I never said "some bloke". I said he was Smiths best mate. He certainly got everything right on the Scruton deal last year, and what was happening.

That said, I also said he could be a bullpooper. But certainly Smithy was sat with him at a game last year, when he was out of the team.

News flash for G1. Players do have friends outside the dressing room. They dont stay with team mates you know.

Further news flash. Couple I go meet with at gym are best friends with Phil Clarke. Is that a childish laugh too?

I know its hard to comprehend adult talk.

Smith was at Odsal with Luke Burgess at the Bulls game on the weekend of the WCC. I got a little cheeky and asked if he's leaving the Rhinos for Kick and Clap. He replied with a Wry Smile and a less than convincing "Who knows whats gonna happen!" Sadly I feel that he will be leaving Leeds come the start of the Union season. I hope not because he's proving to be a talent in SL, but I would be suprised to see him stay. Suprised in a good way though