After yesterday's performance I think Lee Smith is beginning to look the part at centre. He seems to have adapted physically in the past 2 seasons (after taking some bashing in 2005), and also seems to have regained a bit of his pace. Can also play any other outside back position very well.

Surely he has to be the number one priority for retention. With Senior signed on for another year and Watkins (and to a lesser extent Gibson) developing I don't really see the need for another centre signing provided Smith re-signs and continues to make progress.

Totally agree with your comments, really looking the business

Thought he looked really good - its whats been missing this year - trouble is - will he be staying or is he going to do the stupid thing & defect to the dark side - surely the news about him must be due

Looked pretty good yesterday didnt he.

We all know he has the footwork and although he is not the tallest in centre in SL he has a good strong handoff that gives him the oppotunity to hold off the man and send Scotty on his way.

Looked very good, great to see.

Although for England's sake I wish he was playing fullback, though I like the thought of him and Shenton in the centres too.

We need to get him signed up NOW.

Smith at this point still plays for himself, which is understandable given his inexperience in the role.

The first pass I recall Donald receiving from a centre last night was from Senior.

What you will always get from Lee Smith is a genuine 100% effort.

If he can be left there to develope (and not get dragged away to cover full back, wing) then he has a good chance of filling a problem position at Leeds.

When in the game was the better option to pass to Donald rather than take the tackle (I can't recall any), we know you don't rate Smith and wanted a new shiny centre in the off season but you are looking for negatives that are not there, maybe Smith should of tried some impossible Senior type offloads that end up in the stands.

Lee Smith is a very good player...he is however by no means the finished article as a centre. As I have said elsewhere Hull really made us look good yesterday so I am not getting too carried away with the performance good though it was.

If we can keep hold him (Smith) he may well end up being the answer to the problem centre position. I hope so because I see no signs of us being active in the transfer market at the moment.

Thats not fair.

I have never got the opinion that Tvoc does not rate Smith, far from it. Not like some posters on here who will now proclaim him a star despiting critisizing him in earlier years.

Yes Tvoc had called for a centre signing, but you have took his comments out of context on that score.

I doubt (DISA aside) that there is a poster on here who has supported what Lee Smith brings to the Leeds squad more than I have. If you doubt that, perhaps you should find evidence of me being critical of any of his performances?

I wanted a replacement for Clinton Toopi and still do. That player could turn out to be Lee Smith. Leeds' number one priority should be to sort a deal out that allows Smith to stay regardless of whether he ends up as the Leeds right centre.

Good point.

Once again he didn't put Donald away.

At Murrayfield the only pass he gave him (not including the fumble that went through his legs which but Donald away only to be disallows) he was put into touch in the 2nd half.

The art of becoming a class centre is the ability to feed your winger.

BUT

They are a new partnership, with Smith playing a new position. It will come, it just needs more time and familiarity.

Donald had his best games in a while, with a trade mark break, so confidence is building on that side. More to come from these two, work in progress.