According to a Wire fan 'in the know'

on their board Kevin Penny is moving to Widnes full time to free up some cap space and Lee Smith has been assured that his salary will be reviewed at the end of the season when Warrington will have some space due to player movement.

I now have a sneaky feeling it could be Wire.I hope not.

I know there were stories of unrest between Lee and Leeds I think towards middle of 2008 season and it came out after his GF MOM that weeks/months previously there had been a good chance of him going to Wigan.

If the Wasps supremo who said he was not releasing Lee to come back to Leeds last week in the press was miffed about how we would not release him to the Ra Ras part way through last season then maybe he has shafted Leeds and only agreed to release Lee to sign for Warrington?

As someone has said....the plot thickens

Yeah but it helps when Tony Smith has dismissed the speculation of him joining the Wire. I hope its not true, but I think he will be a Leeds player.

I heard that Lee was offered a contract last season which he felt wasn't good enough, Rhinos felt they had better players in the reserves. He therefore left Leeds in not the best circumstances.

I agree Frosties but lets face it,Tony Smith is just coming out with a typical politicians answer. He was the same at Leeds with any speculation.

We all know Leeds only pay what they consider to be the going rate and won't break their pay structure for anyone so unless we are releasing someone (given previous rumours that we cannot take BJB back full time because of Salary cap issues) then Warrington could be his destination as they have history of throwing money at players and if the rumours on their board are true about releasing Penny and possibly Clarke retiring due to injuries then they could be front runners



However,I suppose we could pay him not that much for the rest of this season with the promise of a bigger deal next year when there will be no Buderus and other possible leavers given the many out of contracted players we have at the end of the season.

Smith would certainly give us the versatility cover in the backs that we are lacking with the current injury situation in the backs (although that could be eased with Ablet due back who has played centre a lot for us) but Smith gives excellent ,not just fill in value at Full back,centre and wing

How many times do coaches say things like that only for them to then sign? I very much doubt he would be saying otherwise regardless if he is interested or not.

That's not totally true.

Lee was pished off with Leeds that despite Hetherington saying he would offer him a new contract immediately after the 2008 GF he didn't until the summer of 2009. By which time Lee had his head turned by the money's on offer elsewhere. That is not to say he left on bad terms, because he didn't and quite obviously regretted his decision to go.

Leeds haven't had a british outside back (bar Senior) as good as Smith in the last near 15 years, so I doubt anyone would have said to him we have a better player in the reserves.

Signing for Wire would not suprise me. You have an opportunity to sign potentially the best fullback in the competition, or keep with Richie Mathers.

You would have to be pretty stupid to pass up that opportunity.

Leeds hold talks with Smith... Sky Sports www.skysports.com/story/0,19528, ... 53,00.html I think we will hear the outcome of this tomorrow.

Leeds hold talks with Smith... Sky Sports www.skysports.com/story/0,19528, ... 53,00.html I think we will hear the outcome of this tomorrow.

He will be going to Leeds.

He never wanted to leave in the first place.

I said he would be back in league within a year, seemingly, it hasn't taken that long.

Rhinos spokesman Phil Daley said.

"The only stumbling block to an immediate return would be the constraints of the salary cap."

Going to have to be some serious shifting if that's the case

Is there a possibility hat some one leaving at the end of the year leaving early? not sure who by the way just floating the idea

Buderus maybe ??

I'm sure there's options for GH mate believe!

What about ashton, vainikolo, Hape?

Also, if Union was so superior, then would Gareth Thomas have got his @rse handed to him so spectacularly last week?

League and Union are quite different. Although it would have been nice to see Lee make a better fist of it.

I think that while on paper it looks like Smith has 'failed' in rugby union, it s important to look at his reasons for returning. It has been stated that he misses his family, and with a lttle boy, I am not suprised.
However I would have thought he would have played in more first team games during his time there.
IMO I really hope he will come back to Leeds.

Wow what incredible news!

Really really hope he comes to Leeds. GH must pull out all the strings to sign him.

How good was he before he left Leeds? = Outstanding, and he was only going to get better.

Hope so

No one can tell me that Lee didnt know what direction he was going in when he asked for the release ?

It is clear that some communication happened between Lee and the hierachy at Leeds over the last week or 10 days, as he wouldnt have asked abt the loan move.

The warrrington link is a very new one ! it has not been common knowledge abt mr penney going to widnes, and also he would not have been on the most attractive salary, he wont be getting that much at widnes afterall even if they are full time !!

We need to look at the bigger picture, Keith is probably at the end this year certainly in the centre, Scotty could well be going home? Lee is a quality threequarter who we must not miss out on, we know what he can do, hes english, hes available

Come on Leeds sort it out

Try telling that to Gareth Thomas who got knocked out twice on his RL debut





The only way RU can be suprior is by the toughness and with the Thomas debut that is banished straight off. Certainly isnt superior due to skills.

I knew he'd be back but not this quick.

When will they learn?

Regarding Lee Smith, as i posted last year regarding his departure from the club, and that he wished to be closer to his girlfriend, who had a contract in the musical Hairspray, in London, hence his decision to choose Wasps as his new club

rumour has it that this musical has ended early, and that she is also moving back home earlier than was originally intended

Friends of his at Drighlington ARLFC reckon that he definately wants to return to the club should a deal be available to him from the Rhinos

2. Scott Donald (2010)
4. Keith Senior (2010)
9. Danny Buderus (2010)
12. Ali Lauitiiti (2010)
14. Matt Diskin (2010)
19. Ryan Bailey (2010)
24. Luke Ambler (2010)
26. Simon Worrall (Toulouse Loan) (2010)

Why did we offer Simon Worrall a new 1 year deal at the end of the season which he agreed, then he goes out on loan to Tolouse?

Lee Smiths younger brother still in the academy for the Rhinos? Danny I think his name is.

Experience?

It isnt us paying his wage anyway so whats the harm as it doesnt count on the cap does it?

I can't see why it wouldnt be possible to work something with Smith where he signs a 9 month contract for basically pennies then end of the season when Buderus goes and free's up some cap space we can look at re-doing Smith's contract.

Of course, Senior may also retire or not be offered a new deal giving us centre options of Watkins, Delaney and Smith (assuming the above happens with Smith signing for us).

Whatever happens Buderus wont be with us next season which gives us some space to play with.

Im sure i read an article a few weeks ago about Lauitiiti not ruling out the option of returning home to New Zealand/Australia?

My preference given out current situation would be to alloe buderus to return to newcastle as he seems to want that, we are more than covered in the hooker position with young mcshane, overall the benefit to the side would be where we need it most in threequarters.

I would thank me buderus and let him go home early this releasing some cap money, becasue if we miss Lee now that will be that