How does"being allowed to speak to other clubs and deciding to stay whilst not talking to anyone"translate into he nearly signed for us??????

Because every player in the world wants to sign for the worlds most famous rugby league club ever.

Got the wrong end of the stick mate, Leeds or another club pay compensation if he doesn't want to go so he can play for that club. Don't act thick you know what I meant.

Going to another sport for more money is the wrong reason to go, as with Boxing/Muay Thai/UFC it's the poorer/hungrier fighters which are the ones that you have to be wary of so if he oges to union on a large wage and not doing much he will get complacent and lose that cutting edge that makes him the player he is.

With him playing League he is busy all the time playing for the club he loves and that keeps him on his toes and his mind sharp. With him going to Union he will be confused and frustrated to start with and over a period of time he will lose his skills, come back to league with his tail between his legs half the player he was never to recover.

Why oh why do players go to union? Appart from the money?

He did not fit wigans criteria, he's English.
that apart he will be back soon probs at Hull, as in Walker, Harris, Mathers, Morley etc all looking in from the outside.
Wish these blokes would remember through good & bad times the grass is always greenest at Headingley, John Holmes would have told them that.

I don't know whether to waste my time answering your post as it's obvious as you said it yourself.

A player is allowed to speak to other clubs, he speaks to Wigan, they offer him a contract as do Leeds, he weighs them up and decides to stay at Leeds therefore nearly signing for Wigan.

Jesus wept bird brain!

Did you not read my post properly????????
He didn't speak to ANYONE!!!!!!!!
Wigan announced an interest he was given permission to meet other teams but he DIDN'T!!!!!!!Hence he didn't nearly sign for anyone

Add Tansey to that list.

Morley has done well though and the rest haven't.

He does fit Wigans criiteria as he is a top class player and as Ian Lenagan said if the right kind of calibre of player were available he would dip his hand into his pocket to finance the deal and if I were IL I would enquire about it.

The question was a bit out of place to be fair. Asking a player just minutes after he has scored the winning try in a historic Grand Final if he's happy to be leaving? Of course it's going to be difficult for Smith to answer.

Whilst money will no doubt be a factor, I'm sure there are personal reasons for the move.

At the time, the deal was probably right for the club. He was never likely to dislodge Webb from the full-back slot, he was fairly unknown as a centre at the time the deal was done and so the club's valuation of his skills was probably a bit two short of his own. That happens in all walks of life.

For what it's worth, I think Smith is arguably the best-equipped player that we've sent to RU to actually make it there, certainly the best since Robinson.

Have you had a swig of truth serum rather than spouting horse muck 24/7?

Not Morley to a degree but let me add Calderwood.

But you have to remember he has made his name playing the sport he has played for most of his life playing with his close mates for the club he loves.

I think he will do well though even though I don't want him to leave RL and want every player who turns their back on RL to fail miserably.

Exactly, he came to Wigan for the moola, he had one stand out game for us for me against Bradford in the play offs. Why do players think they can do better elsewhere they are better off staying at Leeds.

Nick Scruton is a decent player and he went to Bratfort, were the reasons financial?

Yes. And to play along side Sam Burgess who is a big mate.

That move has worked out well for Nick hasn't it.

Yes, and a longer deal than leeds offered to boot.
GH has a strict pay structure and he wouldn't break that hence bye bye scroots.

But you have to look at the other things that will be important to Lee Smith.

He has a partner who will benefit from living in London, he is obviously willing to challenge himself in a new environment, he is working with a coach that clearly knows about the transition from league to union and he will, if he makes a success of it, enjoy a far greater profile than what he would have ever experience in RL.

Of course, I'm not qualified to say what he did and didn't base his decision on, and I doubt that anybody on here is, but I'd wish him luck with the move.

Bad move going to Bradford who are a crap team now full of average aussies who will be forgotten in 5 years (exept Menzies).

It's like if Ablett got oo big for his boots and fancied moving on the another club for more money say Salford, Castleford etc he might be on more money but he will have no chance of winning anything and Sinfield was right in what it says in your sig.

Good luck & I hope you have a successful carrer in rugby yawnion. I cant blame anyone going for the money, it is a short carrer and you need to maximise whatever you can from it. Go for it Lee and make us RL fans proud so we can say " I told you he would be good"

Incidentally, Chris Ashton (remind me again, who did he used to play for in RL) got two tries in kick 'n' clap last night ....

Maybe Eric Pollard at the DW should be popping down to Northampton asking for him back ?

I think that had focused the minds of a lot of the younger people at the club now ...

I wonder if the (howver much extra he's getting at Bradford) consoled him last night watching the game on the telly ?

I wouldnt have chris ashton back at wigan

Theres no doubt he has a flair in attack, but he had some liabilities in defense and he (apparently) has a bad attitude, something we do not need at wigan

i would have lee smith at the drop of a hat though

Good luck to Smith. Hope he does well in Union.

It's been mentioned above, but isn't his Emmerdale ex starring in Hairspray in London, so a move down sarth will help their relationship.

does that mean you've already got it?

Did they? Why would Leeds need to offer him a contract when they already had him under contract until the end of 2009 already?




Haven't they got three in addition to Menzies for 2010? That would be a damn slight less than most (including Leeds with seven) and Wigan?

Didn't I add to the post appart from Menzies? Take Morrison off your list too I rated him.

Average Aussies/Kiwis/Whatever 2010 - Nero, Hall, L'Estrange, Walker?

In 2009 - Jeffries and Tadulala

Did I say we didn't have any average Aussies/kiwis etc? I would be the first to admit it.