Have you identified those two matches in six specifically? Regardless, Smith is Webb's understudy at full back and doing the job as well as I expected him to. If those games required someone to fill the distribution role from dummy half while Diskin takes a break I'd have expected Webb (on his FE performance) to have been given the job and brought more to the table than Smith. That is not a criticism of Smith by the way.

Overall I wouldn't expect Smith to bring more to the table than Webb at this stage of their careers.

No neither do I, which is what I said earlier. Which is why I only stated 2 games.

But just to clarify on your opinion. Are you suggesting that Webb would have brought more to the table then than Smith in the GF? Are you suggesting if that was the case that Webb would have scored that try Smith did, that Webb would have won the couple of penalties Smith did, that Webb would also have got that 40/20 kick that a lot thought changed the game, that Webb would have covered the same meters Smith did, that Webb would therefore have got MOM?

Of course the above side, I accept he would have filled in at dummy half better. But as we won anyway on the back of other facets of Smiths game, I dont think that hindered us.

Webb is capable, on any given day, of doing all that Smith does and more besides.

I'm bagging neither when I say that.

Webb playing in the GF may well of resulted in an even more comfortable win (just as it did for Leeds in 2007), are you suggesting you can state otherwise?

Nope. I am stating as I said earlier, that Smith probably brought more to the table for that game than Webb would have done.

You stated that Webbs involvement from Dummy half would have been better than Smith. I dont argue with that.

I asked you if above if you thought Webb would have done the same things that Smith did in that game, and listed them. You have not refuted that he would, neither have you said he wouldn't. But thats an awful lot to assume if you think he would.

Smith did nothing in the Grand Final that was beyond Webb's capabilities (had he been available for selection) up to and including the 40/20.

In addition I'd have expected him to take the majority of dummy half duties when Diskin was given a breather, as he'd successfully done the week before in the FE.

As I said before I rate both players highly but see a fully fit Webb as the club's first choice in that position.

Stop trying to dilute what you said. Smith would be the first name on your mythical team sheet 1-5.

You would probably be making sense if you weren't talking such bolloax.

Not disputing him to be first choice, not argued on that.

Your opinion, but I think you would be in a very small minority to try and argue that an injured player missing would also have got MOM in the GF had he been playing instead.

Incidentally, it is fully acknowledged that you have the stats to back up anything, and incredibly good with it. How man MOM awards has Webb got in the last 12 months?

You still cant reply without getting your knickers in a twist and frothing at the mouth can you.

Again, I said Smith should and probably is the first name on the team sheet from 1 to 5. Which of course is different to what you are stating.

To be honest though, I would even be willing to back that one up with Money. If you want to ask Bluey the question directly.

I'm not sure how many times I can be expected to say this but just for you (cos I like you) Webb, on any given day when fit and available for selection, is capable of doing all that Smith can do and more besides.



I've no idea and honest about it. What other people think of my stats is a matter for their own conscious but people often build them up to be more than they are.

Would you point him out to me?





Smith could and should've sewn up the full back spot long before we signed Webb. Sadly, he wasn't as good as Tansey.

No frothing here shag. Just think Leicester Rhino summed it up beautifully on an earlier page when he said Smith is the inverted Ryan Bailey. Its' pure Rhinos revisionism.

When I do a new teamsheet I normally start with the full back position as well. Do I get the job when McClennan leaves?

I dont think they do build it up. You have put a lot of hard work into them and are incredibly good at it.

I have no idea too on the number of MOM awards. But I just wanted to see how it would stack up, based on how many Smith has had recently.

Of course that can not say with certainty that had Webb been there instead that he wouldn't have got MOM. Nor can it prove that Smith is any better than Webb in there.

There would however be some crededence in throwing out the silly statement that Webb is vastly superior to Smith.

For what its worth Gareth, I agree with that statement.

Where we differ is the reasons for why it didn't happen. Your statement on Tansey I am sure you would want to retract because that is just embarrassing, as proven by the player himself.

What statement?

It's documented fact that Smith (Tony) dropped Smith (Lee) and replaced him with Tansey. Tansey was considered a better option as the first team full back whilst Smith played in the reserves.

That's beth Smith and Mclennan who have had Smith (Lee) in and out of their team during his time here btw. Do they know something you don't?

What they both now know is that Smith is not only an integral player in the Leeds team, he was also required by T Smith for England too.

I think its good when people can admit to their mistakes. I have no problem with them over that.

Where is Tansey now, or why was he not considered for the Fullback spot in October when Webb was injured.

I know I shouldn't have said that because that is the embarresment for you I was talking about.

And the statement you made was that Smith should have had the fullback role sewn up before signing Webb. Which I agree on.

I weren't aware I'd ever made such a statement and therefore appear to have got embroiled in someone else's discussion.

G1: I suspected then and still do that Tansey's inclusion at full back in preference to Smith (Lee) was as a result of something away from the 80 minutes action we get to see each week.

I could, of course, be way wide of the mark.

Is there a need to slate Smith? What's he done wrong?

Don't you?

I'm looking for a free run at the job in 2011.

Playing for an NRL team. As we know that is a much higher standard than Smith is playing in week in week out.

You didn't. And yes, you have got involved. Although doing a better job of it.

Something that was still happening last season. Something that was so prevalent that the club came within a whisker of shipping him to Wigan.

I'll need to see a lot more from him with for a much lengthier period of time before I am convinced its' time to knight him like some of the revisionists.

There's no comparison,how many times have the M.O.M awards been agreed on by fans and pundits alike?????
FWIW Smithy has been great for us imo after returning to the team when he was on the verge of moving on.
But............Webb is a class above imo both in quality and deed in the FB position,he offers more attacking threat and directs the back line alot better than smithy.
I really hope we keep smithy and he continues to show his potential but webb is the no1 FB and unless he doesn't(god forbid) fully recover from his injury smithy won't threaten that status.

You still cant show the good grace that T Smith and Bluey have done, and admit to mistakes.

Incidentally how many games again as Tansey played in the NRL?

I don't think so, he hasn't once subtly referenced the Phil Daly thread.