Told you.

His leaving frees up space for someone else... but we have to open the bank now and get someone in imo.. Ryan Atkins, Michael Shenton or Jamie Lyon.

In true Hetherington style does anyone think there will be any announcement on a 'replacement' to put a positive spin on it soon? Or was the Coady announcement it?

Pity. He's a great talent, but at the end of the day he's won Grand Finals at enior and (I think?) Academy level in his time here, and been MOTM in one of the senior finals. He's represented his country in a World Cup. We show no signs of offering the chance of a winners medal at that level, so he's done about all that is on offer to him. I would have liked him to stay, but he goes with my best wishes*. I hope it works out for him.



* That'll make all the difference to him, he can sleep easy now.

Lee Smith at Leeds

SL Reg Rds: Played 66 + 5, Tries 32, Goals 10, Points 148
SL Play Offs: Played 6 + 0, Tries 5, Goals 0, Points 20
Challenge Cup: Played 9 + 0, Tries 5, Goals 0, Points 20
WCC: Played 2 + 0, Tries 0, Goals 0, Points 0

Total: Played 83 + 5, Tries 42, Goals 10, Points 188

Quality press release by Leeds:

“I have, and still do, really enjoyed my time at the Rhinos..."

"However, by the end of the this season...."

He says he want a new challenge and hes only 22, it's been said Wasps are going to sign him I hope he doesn't turn out like Chris Ashton and fade away in rugby union.

Funny how these players who go to Union don't seem to want the "challenge" of winning ANYTHING with GB/England at RL. Maybe it's too difficult a challenge.

Good luck to him though, good player and hope we see him back in RL one day. Unlike Chris Ashton, who came across as a bit of a tool.

Exactaly.

Chris Ashton was a fool, Smith has shown respect to the club who gave him the opportunity and hasn't gone of to the clubs hes signing for wearing their kit in the middle of the season.

Yet!

As has been widely speculated on, Wasps appear to want him for their pre-season training, so there's still time.

Gutted. So much promise and so much delivered already. Think his style would suit Yawnion though. Hope it doesn't thus coming back to RL whether thats with Leeds or not it doesn't matter. GH and Bluey now need to win the fans over with a big coup or things will begin to get stale at HQ.

Especially if he gets released mid-season. If he does the whole Smith to centre solution will have been a big waste of time

But Smith did challenge himself with England in the WC and like the rest of us realises that at 22 he can't wait another 50 years to win something with England RL.

Shame that he got injured in that world cup. However whilst he was injured England played like a bag of poop. So Smith can’t rely on that lot to win the next world cup or even this next four nations. Saying that it wouldn’t surprise me if he moved to Australia.

If he goes mid-season which I don't think he will that'll be season over IMO. People are ear marking Watkins to step in but IMO he should be taking over Donald on the wing for a while as Scotty form is unacceptable.

me for one is a fan of lee smith and if he does go to union it will be a waste as me for one would love him in a cas shirt next year

Surely nobody took Smith at centre seriously? this was either; an attempt to pacify the fans when Toopi wasn't replaced, try and keep Lee through creating a regular place in the team or a combination of the two.

Lee had never seriously played centre in his career why would he start now?

Wait until you see the PR shots, Lee looks real good in his Wasps gear.

You have no credibility whatsoever left, change your alias and hope nobody notices!!

I still beleive that with his footwork he'd have made a decent centre. Not the best, but good enough. We'll never find out now

Semi Tadulala?

really disappointed at this, Smithy's a quality player and to lose him is a big blow, though playing him at centre was an absolute nonsense. Wish the southern RU clubs would f**k off and leave our players alone, as he'll be back at Wigan in 2 years, slow, overweight and e.

Also, am I the only one who reckons we should let him go now and give one of the youngsters who actually wants to be at the club a go?

That's dumb, emotional, supporter perspective so I'd hope so yes.

On the flip side, perhaps knowing he's going at the end of the season may inspire Lee to find an extra 5-10% in his performances to sign off in good style, much as Gareth Ellis did last year?

I wouldn't be surprised however to see Wasps offer Leeds some compensation to release him early and enable him to get a full pre-season in down there.