I haven't heard that, sincerely hope it isn't true.

Firstly, Williams is going?

Secondly, that may have been the case with Tommy in his first spell but he's been very good in the halves this season for the Warriors. There are a few posters on here like moto that watch a bit of NRL and I'm sure will tell you the same.

Rumor has it Williams is off to Wire. We've got a big fee + Dwyer coming our way.

Personally think it's suspiciously like the old Tomkins rumours where every week there was a rumour he was off.

See what happens i guess

I very much doubt it

Not a cat in hell's chance.

I know Smith clearly put his body on the line in the Grand Final, but let's not re-write history. He is a very poor defender (hence why he was at fault for Wire's only try, and they targeted him so much for another). Leuluai, on the other hand, will be the biggest hitting scrum half in the league!

... and he's still putting in those bell-ringers!

Yes I would agree with you about Tommy. Actually the only other half back I can think of who is as good is George Williams.

But Smith's defence improved immeasurably since he came. Of course, he made mistakes like on Saturday but if you're really telling me that Matty is as a poor a defender as Walsh I'd respectfully disagree.

Spot on and don't forget his superior passing and running game as well.

There's certain posters on here who love to re-write history. Smith has been solid & dependable, but unspectacular for the majority of his Wigan career. Yes there's been the odd exceptional performance here and there, but I'd argue you can count them on one hand and they've mostly come in the wet. There's also been some downright abject plays thrown in there as well. Over four years that's not good enough imo.

Smith is a good organiser, talker and leader on the field and on his day can produce a very good kicking game. He also represents the club well off the field.

Leuluai has all of the above but also provides a running and passing threat along with better defence.

The only thing that Smith has over Leuluai is that he's practically been an ever present over the last few years whereas Leuluai has had some tough injuries. That is a slight concern but overall no doubt Wigan have made the right call.

Powell?

Was at the GF with GF, her first game... after first try I was explaining the conversion, and finished by saying, that the kicker was a little inconsistent, and may miss.... On my other side, were a couple, who I swear did not praise anything Wigan did all game, only cristsised every error, every time a player was tackled, no praise at all, just moaning, whining and telling me how crap various players were... Guy says to me 'oh he (Smith) will miss!'... I said 'Well maybe, let's just see'.... He missed, and I swear, the 'Wigan fan' could not have been happier to have been vindicated... "Told you" he said with a huge beam on his face..... let's remember, his team have just missed a crucial 2 points, and the was grinning like a Cheshire Cat.... I looked at him, without a smile, and said "Well at least you're happy"... End of any further conversations.... lol

I really wonder what people like this get out of 'Supporting' their team..... Each to their own I suppose. I pity the poor sods who sit near them week in week out.

I can't understand this attitude. Each to their own, I suppose if they pay their money.

With Smith I always watched him kick with hope rather than expectation. It's fair to note he wasn't a regular kicker until Pat left and he put his hand up to have a go.

As has been mentioned by others, he may not have hit the heights every week, but he always gave 100% and his professionalism was superb.
We needed a kicker - he put the hours in and stood up to be counted
We needed a drop goal specialist - he broke the Club record!
He was a leader on the field, and never gave up. Attributes that were maximised in our triumph this year, when we were missing so many senior players.

Good luck to him. He's certainly earned his corn for us. And one of the players that its difficult to find a bad word for.

Wire. Big fee.

I hope to God this is booolloocckkss.

Even if he was leaving there's no way we'd sell him to Wire.

I wouldn't sell Williams for any amount of money no matter how high a fee. This will be absolute BS in my opinion.

We are surrounded at the DW with season ticket holders like that . They appear to turn up at games as if it was a duty and are not really interested in the game at all . If a game involves having to buy a ticket outwith season games they never turn up (finals excepted) always go to the bar ten minutes before half time and leave before final whistle CRAZY

. Last season when Matty was taking the penalty with the last kick of the game to give Wigan the win against Leeds they were walking out in their droves never turning round once to see if he had kicked it MENTAL

. Just don't understand it me .

Regards . EW

At the Hull semi I was sat next to a chap, in his 60s I'd say, he had a clipboard and pen, and two columns neatly divided up, "Wigan" and "Hull", with space for times and scorers. He began by dutifully filling it in, but he'd cleared off half-way through the second half (could have been whilst we were losing!).

I had assumed he was from a local paper , or maybe a website, but maybe not if he didn't stay for the full 80.

I'm just sat, pint in hand, listening to trains rumbling over the Forth Railway Bridge.....

Pints are nae good in yer hand better down yer neck lol



Regards , EW

Innkeepers Lodge ?

You mean sell Williams to Wire and bring in Hardaker? Moving Sam and Tommy to 6 and 7 with Zac at 1?

That would never happen... or would it?

The main thing we will miss is the long kicking in general play. Smiths kicking in general play, bar the out on the full, was excellent in the GF. Not many kick a 40:20 in that environment. Ok so his place kicking was never the best but I think that can be learnt. As it stands, we have no one who can kick like Smith did on the last. Kicking and organization were the main reasons Tommy got shunted to 9 and we brought Deacon in.

Do you include every single time he sent it straight into to the opposition's mits? He might have well written a note telling them exactly where it was going.
We'll miss his organisation and there's no doubting he's put every effort in whenever it was required, but his kicking accuracy is diabolical.