I gotta agree with this. Solid player, but a lack of depth in the talent pool is leading to him being elevated.

...and I still say it's a depressing sign of the times that a club like Wigan has to rely on so ordinary a player as Smith as their main playmaker for the next few years...'"

He is Mr Joe Average for me. I think it says more about the dearth of quality halves in the competition that Wigan ( and indeed us )are prepared to sign him on a big wedge.

If he signs for Wigan he will be a stop-gap until the emergence of George Williams.

Smith is a step backwards for us.

Agreed.

Told weeks ago by a very close member of his family that he has signed a 3 year deal with Wigan. : :

Matty Smith by himself is, as described, kind of a Mr Average, but he does play a vital role in what is a pretty creative triangle of himself, Holdsworth and Pattern who create some very good rugby.
I think he'll go ok for Wigan. They're well drilled in the backs and he'll slot in ok, but they'll need to make sure whoever is coming in at #6 has the edge that a top club wants somewhere in their half backs.

I think they will retain Finch. He's not received any offers from the NRL despite advertising his availability and is now faced with retirement or Super League.

Can't see how Smith and Finch would play in the same side... I think it's likeliest that Finch would end up at Hull or similar.

Finch has already said he'll only play for Wigan in SL. So assuming he can't get a deal in the NRL and doesn't fancy retiring, I see no reason why Wigan won't welcome him back with open arms. The search for his replacement seems to have gone quiet after all.

Finch's intention is to go back to Australia, Wigan offered him big money to stay and he rejected it flat out and gave them plenty of notice so they can plan for next year and as a result I can't see him deciding to join another SL club. Wigan are that keen to keep him that I'm sure they will have another go if he doesn't get fixed up soon but I can't imagine he is short of offers over there, he's a class act.

If Finch has said he'll only play for Wigan, he's a liar. I know for a fact that he's spoken to at least two other clubs over here but made it obv his first option was NRL. Wishful thinking on youre part, youre a long time retired he's no fool.

At the end of the day he is a professional Player and need to earn a living. I suspect if he cant get a gig in the NRL he will take the best offer and who could blame him.

I think he'd go well at Saints, but I'm not so sure he'd be a great partner for Smith at Wigan not that I care a great deal if they tried and it failed :

Wigan want smith now and are prepared to send a young lad to the reds on loan to compensate them.

If that's true (I haven't heard anything) then Tommy L's injury maybe worse than first thought.

Why?

Nothing like promoting your own talent through is there. What's up with the young lad they've fobbed off to wignes?

Mellor aint good enough but I also think smith he good enough for Wigan

Twelve players who have come through the academy were in last nights Wigan team. Mellor I think will stay at Widnes and sign a permanent deal for them.

Because, essentially, they're more or less the same player, Smith being a slightly poorer version of Finch. Even with modern tactics you still need some kind of a combination of a mainly runner and a mainly passer/organiser in any successful halfback partnership. Put 2 passer/organisers in the halves and you're as predictable and 1 dimensional in the backs as we currently are with having 2 runners there (or, more accurately, 1 runner and 1 n/a...)

Here endeth the lesson...

Not sure that's as true anymore though with the increased presence of a FB as a third pivot. They can generally provide the "running" option so two organising/passing halfbacks could easily work, just make them split.

I understand your arguement but I don't neccessarily agree with it, as much depends on the other players in the team. What you do need is a creative player on the left and right side of your attack.

Does Wane organise his team that way though?

That wouldn't work with your plays, your attacks are based on long sweeping moves involving both halves. If you split them you'll make half your play book irrelevant.