What a fantastic signing if it is Smithy. His heart is at Leeds, what a reception he will get on Thursday. All credit to GH too, top banana!

It all sounds dodgy to me

... as above im not going to read through the last 7 pages so if this has been said I apologise



I reckon this deal was pretty much sorted last week.

Hetherington says a week ago that we would like Lee Smith on loan.

Lee Smith hears this and thinks maybe this is his way back in.

Wasps turn the deal down

Lee isnt happy

Lee misses his family in Leeds and asks for a release.

Deal sorted

Lee Gilmour - bet he will the on the pot cr@ping himself at 10:30 in the morning



[iSmith always smashes the crap out of me, better get to argos and buy a punch bag seen as im no good at smashing him back.[/i

Sorry buddy, just thought I read that somewhere but it was probably a mis-read. Do you think anyone will be released in all this, or just Smith straight in as an addition to the squad?

I'm pretty sure releasing a playing doesn't free up their cap space. Maybe buderus back to oz might free up space if the knights sign him?

but I don't think this will happen, I only mention it as Newcastle have said they would like him back, bedsy has said he doesn't want to go until he's finished with Leeds

If you release a player and they move to another club, it does indeed free up the remaining salary space on the cap. What I mean by that is if a player earns £100k and he leaves a quarter of the way through a season (and has been paid £25k to date), it frees up £75k of space on the cap for the remainder of the season.

Smithy is back. Excellent.

Mr Mathers seems to have confirmed it.

Glad he's back. He's an excellent wing or full back. If he does sign long-term, I wonder if BJB will ever come back?

It all depends on who goes next term. If Donald goes BJB will return. If its Webby that goes, then BJB wont. Imo of course.

That's how you dump Union ....

1) Tell everyone you're playing Union at the end of the League season

2) Play your heart out for the remainder of that season

3) Leave with your head held high

4) Indulge in some light RU 'training'

5) Have it suddenly dawn on you that High Wycombe isn't 'London' after all, despite what it says on the name on the team bus

6) Don't stretch yourself too much in the few games that you play

7) Whilst knowing the game is as dull-as-ditchwater, tell your current employers that you're homesick

8 ) Make sure your ex-employers are well aware of the situation

9) Negotiate a release on the contract and probably pocket a few quid as a result

10) Return to LS6 as if nothing had happend as the returning prodigal son ...

That, Ladies & Gentlemen is how you drop a Union team faster than a Johnny Wilkinson pass .... Some League players who have dabbled on the dark side ought to take note !

Donald is out of contract at the end of 2010

Webb is out of contract at the end of 2011



[iHetherington has effectively ruled out recalling full-back Ben Jones-Bishop from his loan spell with Harlequins RL.

=#FF0000“We could recall him but we would be reluctant to do so,” he said. “He went there for the year and there are salary-cap implications.”[/i

It's all in the timing of the statement and what information is in the public domain.

Lee Smith officially back on a 4 year deal

Good stuff!

I'll be delighted to see Lee return. The next interesting thing is which position have we promised him? Smith/ Delaney in the centres and Keith to second row? Wing? Interesting times!!!

"Allegedly" that is the case with Brough and Huddersfield too?

I think he'll start on the wing but I doubt he's been promised any position.Once all the backs are fit he'll have to fight for his place like everyone else.
Very pleased to have him back.

Union is evidently a tougher game than league. Why else would all the recent converts flop?

If he is playing at the level he was before he left, then he is far superior to 4 of the "so called" first choice back 5 anyway, on this seasons form. So won't need much of a fight.

For mine it's harder to learn how to play Union if you are a league convert than a Union convert to league.
Is it physically tougher than league I don't think so especially for backs who sometimes hardly have to make a tackle.

I like Lee Smith as a player and would be more than happy to see him back at Leeds but were does he fit into the squad?

I agree if he is but several months out learning another game he'll probably be off the pace.

Can we insist on him re-growing his 'fro?

I can't see how it's difficult, I honestly think that Union clubs sign league backs for the wrong reasons. I looked at Wasps squad this year and couldn't see where Smith would get a game. He can't play full back straight off and they signed Tom Varndell (already an England international on the wing) to add to Sackey, had one of the best young centres in England and two 10's who had to play (one becaue he was good and the other because he's called Cipriani).

I think they (Wasps) were under cap because they offloaded a lot of forwards, and litteraly just picked Smith up like they were walking through Waitrose and saw a nice pack of Hob-Nobs to stick in their trolley.

Looking back to the interview he gave after the Grand Final was anyone convinced he really wanted to leave the Rhinos?

I think Gareth Thomas would agree with you.

I think you're probably right about him initially playing on the wing but would disagree about him 'fighting 'for his place. They wouldn't have given him a 4yr deal if that was the case. Senior must be looking over his shoulder now.