Got to give mr widnes a new deal surely, our longest serving player and were lost without him when he doesn't play.


Sign him up!

Can't be doing without Smithy. He is the life of the team!

Sign him!

I say let him go... He's not a SL quality player .. So IMHO we should be looking to get someone in who we want to play number two to Camerson Smith in 2012




Neil

We won't be in SL next season and CS would pretty much take up most of the £300,000k salary cap.

I say keep Smithy on a 2 year contract and bring in a quality hooker for SL with Smithy spelling the new hooker for the first SL season. It really isn't worthwhile trying to build a team to play next year in the hope of taking most of it to SL. This season we will be building for next season in the Championship and in March, should we get the nod, we can build for SL and assess who we can take with us from the current bunch - it won't be many and Smithy is one of the few.

I'd keep Smith too, he could do a job in 2012 if we're in SL by then. Netherton has been given a chance to prove his worth of a SL contract, and despite his tender years, he is still half the play Smith is.

Smithy should be allowed to leave,Mark will be the first to tell you that he is no lnger the player he was 3-4 yrs ago and injuries have took their toll.Sign a good experienced hooker ,someone who will give the guile that Widnes desperatly need ,especially the speed of the ruck area and fitness that is needed to take teh team forward.I dont think is doubting that Mark Smith has been a great player for the Vikings,but his best days are well and truly behind him.

If he doesn't get a new deal there's something seriously strange going on at the club.

I too heard he will be at Leigh.

I will be happy with this, providing he has a wash, shave and a new haircut !

What is going on at Widnes?Thackeray maybe going aswell so who are we buying to replace these players?

Nothings going on, Thackeray has a couple of Super League clubs looking at him and we cant give the money he wants on a £300,000 salary cap. I do hope we sign Smithy for next year but his 'knees' are a problem so he wont be going Super League.

I wouldnt panic, plenty of players are available and plenty will have been spoken to for next year.

TBH I think you should move on and sign a younger hooker that will move up to SL with you.

Think Netherton is that player Nat, but the side on the park is a different one with Smithy there!

Another to have his turn in the reserves too this week.

Hard one to judge with Smith. Certainly not the player he was at this level in his first two years where he was one of the most dangerous out of dummy half and caused defences all kinds of problems. I think he has missed Bob Beswick since he went though as the pair seemed to have a good understanding together during that time. Hi sinfleunce now seems to be one of keeping the side together defensively.

Unfortunately despite his service if you offered me the choice of somebody like Jon Clarke for a year or Smith then I wouldnt need too long to make my mind up. One of Smith's biggest downfalls has got to be the fact that his passing from dummy half is poor and at SL that would make a mighty difference.

I think the majority of the older players who would be considered for SL (Allen, Paddy, Thacks) are in the ???? bracket with regards the SL impact. It's hard to go overboard in keeping players like Thacks at the club then when they have been out of the top flight for getting close to three years and their potential impact is unknown. If somebody wants him and can offer better terms at the moment then so be it. He knows in his own head that given another season in all probability we will be a SL side and that he would be a shoe in for the squad.

Why do you say that. If you have already been given the nod why on earth would SOC waste money he doesn't have to. You could be the first club ever promoted from a relegation position in the Championship into SL. Now someone tell me that is not a faint possibility.

What you chatting Demon were 5th?

You should be greatful your still in the bloody division sherlock.

Because of the decision by an expansion team too, I don't get Leigh as tbh they really do owe the RFL a lot yet give them stick?

Er, you have another season before you reach those ivory towers idiots. You get in in March, why should you bother trying next season. Oh and ask the RFL why we are in this division. The RFL openly stated Gateshead cheated. Still wouldn't expect you two to know anything about what happens outside Widnes.

We won't know til March, we'll need a squad long before then.

I think it is vital that Smith is offered a new contract. He is such a talent and as he has shown in the passed couple of weeks he is one of our best players. Never had the greatest season at the beginning, but who did, we've lost 9 games so it cant all be his fault. Plus he was out of some of them with his face injury.

Thacks as well, what some people forget is that he is only 24. Not a clue why he was dropped to reserves. Just that interception play alone which he does alot shows what as assett he would be to us. If we took him to SL he would only be 26, playing some of the best rugby of his carear with a higher standing of playing saff playing around him.

Club would be stupid to let either of these two go.

Smith is a quality player IMO and is certainly worthy of a 2 year deal for you guys.

I’d say practically every Widnes supporter would agree but, for what ever reason, Smithy seems to be out of favour with the coach.



It might be do do with his high wages. I believe he’s one of the clubs highest earners – though I could be wrong.

Sometimes there are certain players you just have to keep and from a Fax perspective i believe that we always look at Smith as the main threat to us when we play you. However, Widnes have done a great job with the youth and maybe your board could be looking a season ahead to the likely scenario of SL so that they can save a few bob until its needed.

This could be part of the problem, as perhaps they will only be handing out one-year contracts to some players, with a view to ensuring that they can just release all the players they don’t want in 2012 (should Widnes get a licence) and thus have the maximum amount of room under the cap to recruit the best possible team for SL. I can see why some players may reject a one season contract and look elsewhere for a better deal.

Of course I’m only guessing here.

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I would consider your comments to be very near the truth if i was gonna guess!