It was a strange one smith going to union..i was never convinced he was totally happy with his decision..you just needed to watch his interview after the GF

unlike Ashton,robinson i always thought he would be back sooner than later..but not after 7 months

Yeah, he basically said "whats done is done" and looked like if he could turn the clock back....

Even if he isn't signing for Leeds, I will be happy that he is coming back to RL (unless he is signing for Leeds Carnegie!!) and also, it makes tomorrows "major announcement" at Headingley even more suspicious!!!!

Wouldnt have him at Wigan. Does he offer more than Phelps? No Phelps can cover pretty much all the backs and hooker and is our first choice fullback. Is he better than Amos and Richards? No. Not to mention we have Ainscough and Charnley ready to break through. Gleeson and Carmont? No. Goulding? Yes he's a better player but would command a much higher wage and we cant really afford to keep him waiting on the sideline and just filling in for injurys in the way Goulding does, stay well away and let the other clubs fight over him themselves, personally I dont see what the fuss is all about.

Lee Smith is a good player but he isnt worth signing with the options we already have for full back.

You miss the point. The talk was about him not being fit enough to come to Wigan.

Most Wigan players, who had just finished a long, tough SL season, weren't fit enough as far as Michael Maguire, Shaun Wane and Mark Bitcon were concerned ... so how do you think they would view Lee Smith after his six-month jolly in RU?

Of course, if he's fit enough for Leeds, that's up to you men. Nothing to do with us.

He's average. He may become a decent enough full back given enough time in the position, but I'm not sure he'll ever get it.

He's probably better than Phelps (I know most on here won't agree with me), and is English rather than quota, but he'll cost more. Back to Leeds with Watkins out for the season IMO.

He's not good enough for Wigan but he's good enough for treble Champions Leeds?





I've just made a point against Smith's potential fitness. He's had to play continuous rugby after going all the way to the Grand Final with Leeds then being picked for England, then gone into a different sport where he is being, by all accounts, paid far more than at Leeds, yet he is allowed to spend the last 3 months drinking, eating lard and not training?

Its not like a Iestyn Harris scenario where he has been out of the sport for 3 years or so and come back looking like a Network Analyst

Wigan are much better than Leeds so far this season FACT.

he said fit enough not good enough. When Leeds are at full strength he isnt good enough but with your injuries I think Karl pryce is good enough

Yep fair do's. They are.

Its March by the way.

Ah right. I forgot that he had been able to determine Lee Smith's fitness in 2 Premiership matches!!!

Silly me!

MM rules

Yeah and theres a long way to go i agree that. We have started better and i just dont think we need to change that much at the moment. Whereas Leeds need to do something to bolster their squad with all the injuries they have. Situation is just much more suitable for Leeds to get him imo.

I'd have fancied us taking a look at Lee Smith 12 months back but since then Phelps has come into his own in the fullback spot, we've signed Gleeson, Roberts has hit top form, Goulding is providing great back up and we have Ainscough in reserve at Cas.

We simply don't need him anymore but he is a good player and he'll go well for Leeds(or Wire if they add him to their magic salary cap).

We could sign him for the under 20s team.

He does

It is march

but according to leeds fans you and saints were already 1-2 before the first pass of a ball.

but hey you can always blame your injuries .

Point taken

I don't think Leeds need to change much to be honest. We will start to get players back shortly, and when Hall and Donald are on the wings, where would you play Smith, especially now Delaney is here? Even if he is turning out for the academy, then that means something must be going right!

But to have a player like him in the squad, is an absolute bonus. As we discovered in the Grand Final when Brent Webb got injured and Smith came in and won the Harry Sunderland award.

If you could get him under the cap, every club in SL would want him. We have[u 7 [/umore months of rugby to go! Where would you be for example if you lost Carmont, Roberts, Richards and Gleeson for 8 or 9 games? Would Smith not be an option then?!!

It is down to you what you pay attention to.

Reading the comments of 13 or 14 year old kids and taking their word as gospel says more about you than it does of them

Sensible Leeds posters, fans who have seen the hard times, rarely make such bold predictions, even after all our recent success.

Has anyone thought about how Leeds may get Smith under the cap?

I made the point re. fitness quite clearly. So this is my last comment on the matter.

MM improved Wigan's fitness and conditioning beyond anything I've seen at our club in modern times. And frankly, he's improved it beyond anything else I've seen in SL this year, including at the mighty Leeds.

I seriously doubt that Lee Smith would slot comfortably into that situation - not without having to go through the same three-month fitness and conditioning programme the Wigan players went through. Hence, I don't think there'd be any point in us signing him, as the season would be almost over before we saw the best of him.

If Leeds want him, good. I hope he goes well for them and regains his international form.

How much space have Leeds got on the cap?

I just think he would help plug the gaps until them players return and help to get Leeds back on track and up the table, the players covering so far have struggled a little. If we lost them players you mention he would be worth getting without doubt but thats not the case at the moment. FWIW I would be suprised if Leeds would want him with a fully fit squad, i just think its suits both parties at the moment.

How can you make such bold statements about your side's fitness, 2 months into the season?! Its baffling! All the best to you, I want a more competetive SL, and a Wigan v Huddersfield Grand Final would be great for the game, but how do you know that this "conditioning" won't result in your team burning out by mid July?

And its also an absolutely laughable claim that Lee Smith, who has been brought up in the best Academy in the country, and played for a side that has competed in 5 of the last 6 Grand Finals, winning 4 of them, would not comfortably slot into a particular fitness regime

You are getting way ahead of yourself here mate!

Wouldnt want him, and frankly we do not need him.

Talk of him going to Wire is farcical, I cant believe they can afford him, neither can Saints.

Back to Leeds, good luck to him and them, they need it.

If Lee Smith hadn't left last season, he would still be an integral part of the squad, absolutely no doubt