do you think he has performed well enough to keep hold of the 6 shirt or is it time to give ratchford is chance i havent mentioned this for a few weeks to give smith a chance to improve but i think enough i enough

After week 5 of a 27 week season?

He has been poor, but then the first week aside none of the new signings have looked up to much. Thought Cashmere's defence last week was shocking but so far I've not heard anyone call for him to be dropped. Funny that.

Like every season in the past the majority of overseas players need time to settle in.

Our new players this season can and should only be judged at the end of the year, in the meantime let's just wait and see.

Pehaps a taste of reserve/ academy rugby may just be a wake up call.

Good Point 'u45d'

but cashmere on the bench and start with big phil lets see how cashmere respondes ,

excellent point its good enough for mathers and smith at wigan should be good enough for salford players who are under performing.what is it with the name smith and really bad halfbacks

Tbh I,ve not been overly impressed with any of the new signings. Swain done ok but the rest don't seem to be settling in as of yet.

I would stick with Smith at the moment as we are only a month into the new season and see how he progresses.

As James has said the new players should be judged at the end of the season.

No overseas signing is bigger than the club. Agreed they need time to settle in but if they have a bad game, then drop them to the bench to show them that they need to improve and that they are not good enough to get in the starting 13.

They will then perhaps book up their ideas and produce better performances. THATS WHAT THE 3 YEAR FRANCHISE IS ALL ABOUT.

Also more enthusiasm shown by the youngsters. (Swain exception)

Sam Tomkins replaced an uninjured Tim Smith. Did it work??? Did against Bradford but not against Leeds.

worked against quinns and bradford but not against a very good leeds team who i think will win everything this year apart from wcc what has smith done

Agree completely with this post. Prior to the Saints game the majority of the team looked disinterested, and we can't drop all of them. I do wonder whether this debate and all of the negative feeling towards Smith is due to his lack of effort/ability or because it means Ratchford isn't getting a game or is being played on the wing? I'm not defending Smith as with the exception of Malc's defence I don't think anyone has done anything of note this season, but anyone who thinks we'd be more competitive with a rookie half back combination needs their head felt.

what has smith done'"

We'd need a MASSIVE bench?!

Smith did well against Celtic (two try assists) but since then he's been disappointing. Having watched him a few times he seems to drift in an out of games and has long spells where he goes very quiet. I wonder if this is down to match fitness and not playing much last year at Souths?

He certainly needs to 'up the anty' for me or he will lose his place to Ratchford!