Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Feb 25, 2021 6:45 am  

I think if Smith was to go out on loan it should be to a superleague team, unless they’re worried he would end up at a side that would get a hiding every week and he wouldn’t get a chance to develop his game?

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Feb 25, 2021 7:47 am  

CobraCraig wrote:

I think if Smith was to go out on loan it should be to a superleague team, unless they’re worried he would end up at a side that would get a hiding every week and he wouldn’t get a chance to develop his game?

That would be my thinking. He needs to be at a side pushing for the top that will be the dominant side in most games. If he does go to Bradford, I think that's a great move for him.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Feb 25, 2021 8:49 am  

With no other options I hope that we are looking at loans for some of the youngsters. Obviously we need enough cover for the first team. I do not know what loan rules are now but if there is no recall then send some out for half a season and then the next batch but get the youngsters some game time.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Feb 25, 2021 9:08 am  

I've just had a quick look through the other SL sides. In my view there is only Hull KR where you could confidently say Smith would start every week. Anywhere else he's on the bench or maybe in the stands, given that teams aren't necessarily going to want to substitute their halfbacks, especially for a player they have no incentive to develop. 80 mins every week at Bradford is better than 30 mins every week off the bench at Leigh or sitting in the stands at Wigan IMO.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Feb 25, 2021 10:10 am  

Smith would be better starting every week with Wigan and Tommy being the bench player.
I've always suspected TL was given an extra year as he been offered a coaching job and other than the first team there's no one else to coach in 2021. Come 2022 then the reserves will be back in one guise or another and TL will be involved from there on.
We need Smith's ability in the first team not playing for someone else and worst of all worlds playing against us.
We need Smith at Wigan this season.
I do hope this rumour in untrue.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Feb 25, 2021 10:13 am  

Father Ted wrote:

Smith would be better starting every week with Wigan and Tommy being the bench player.
I've always suspected TL was given an extra year as he been offered a coaching job and other than the first team there's no one else to coach in 2021. Come 2022 then the reserves will be back in one guise or another and TL will be involved from there on.
We need Smith's ability in the first team not playing for someone else and worst of all worlds playing against us.
We need Smith at Wigan this season.
I do hope this rumour in untrue.

I'd love him to start every week at Wigan but is that realistically going to happen when Leuluai was picked ahead of him more or less every week last year, and we've just signed Field? It's a bit of a stretch to say a guy who didn't make the 17 for our last game will start every game going forward, given that no halfbacks have left and one extra has come in.

I think he's great ball in hand, less confident in him defensively right now which is why I'd rather him be getting 80 minutes a week tackling men in the championship than 30 mins off the bench here or sitting in the stands if Field and Leuluai are ahead of him. FWIW I wouldn't have kept Leuluai as a player this year as I think it blocks Smith's development a bit.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Feb 25, 2021 10:52 am  

Grimmy wrote:

I'd love him to start every week at Wigan but is that realistically going to happen when Leuluai was picked ahead of him more or less every week last year, and we've just signed Field? It's a bit of a stretch to say a guy who didn't make the 17 for our last game will start every game going forward, given that no halfbacks have left and one extra has come in.

I think he's great ball in hand, less confident in him defensively right now which is why I'd rather him be getting 80 minutes a week tackling men in the championship than 30 mins off the bench here or sitting in the stands if Field and Leuluai are ahead of him. FWIW I wouldn't have kept Leuluai as a player this year as I think it blocks Smith's development a bit.

With Danny Brough and Jordan Lilley at Bradford he wouldn't necessarily be first choice and would cover when Danny Brough got injured.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Feb 25, 2021 10:59 am  

if he cant push Jordan Lilley out then he cant be good enough, bear in mind hes 21 so not that young

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Feb 25, 2021 11:04 am  

bulls2487 wrote:

With Danny Brough and Jordan Lilley at Bradford he wouldn't necessarily be first choice and would cover when Danny Brough got injured.

Not a chance we would be sending him to a championship club as backup, he can do that here

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Feb 25, 2021 11:05 am  

Grimmy wrote:

Not a chance we would be sending him to a championship club as backup.

agreed