FORUMS FORUMS






RLFANS.COM
Celebrating
25 years service to
the Rugby League
Community!

   WWW.RLFANS.COM • View topic - Smith and Smithies
RankPostsTeam
Player Coach605No
Team
Selected
JoinedServiceReputation
Jan 28 200618 years230th
OnlineLast PostLast Page
26th Mar 24 19:3331st Jan 24 12:27LINK
Milestone Posts
500
1000
Milestone Years
0510 1520 2530

Re: Smith and Smithies : Fri Apr 30, 2021 11:53 am  
Wigg'n wrote:
Smithies arguably outplayed Bateman last night who definitely isn't at his best at the minute - possibly also playing with an injury.

Partington is kind of making the 13 shirt his own at the minute but still lacks any real skill with the ball really which is a big shame. I'd still love to see Hastings as a ball playing 13 this year at some point but obviously not a long term option.

Isa another conundrum. It seems like he won't lose his place in the starting 13 and why should he? His quick passing from centre to put Bibby away multiple times has really impressed me but when everyone is on-form and fit he is our 3rd best second rower and 3rd best centre (4th if you include Farrell).


Id say Smithies is ahead of Isa at second row now.
RankPostsTeam
International Star2088
JoinedServiceReputation
Dec 07 200914 years290th
OnlineLast PostLast Page
2nd Mar 24 18:0921st Nov 23 08:40LINK
Milestone Posts
1000
2500
Milestone Years
0510 1520 2530

Re: Smith and Smithies : Fri Apr 30, 2021 12:47 pm  
NickyKiss wrote:
If Lam is still claiming he’s out of position at the minute then I’m not buying it. His time at loose forward will come but it’s as clear as day to me that his best position at the minute is in the second row.


If Lam's saying Smithies is out of position then he's wrong given Smithies played just as much of his academy rugby at second row, if not more so than loose forward. Smithies and Shorrocks were somewhat interchangeable as far as I can remember. What I remember most from watching the academy was that Smithies stood out a lot more at second row than down the middle. For the England academy Smithies was played at 13 and his work rate was phenomenal (while Shorrocks played interchange second row). I think that sort of cemented the idea of Smithies as a 13 but his current performances suggest otherwise. I think in the first team Smithies is impressing more as a left sided second row and Shorrocks is impressing more at loose.

If you want strong carries and nothing fancy down the middle you'd be happy with Smithies at 13. If you want to put on some big shifts from side to side you'd want Shorrocks, who showed some very good passing last night.

Basically when it comes to back row and loose we've got an embarrassment of riches - but when it comes to our props, that's a different matter. It seems we're almost destined to be playing loads of back rowers in place of props like last season because they are making themselves hard to drop.
User avatar
RankPostsTeam
International Board Member29166
JoinedServiceReputation
Nov 08 200419 years16th
OnlineLast PostLast Page
27th Mar 24 23:1827th Mar 24 12:49LINK
Milestone Posts
25000
30000
Milestone Years
0510 1520 2530
Location
WIGAN

Re: Smith and Smithies : Fri Apr 30, 2021 3:26 pm  
I recall Smithies playing plenty at second row also and as you say him and Shorrocks mixing it up a bit. Wasn’t Kabila around the squad at the same time? He played at loose forward quite a bit.

I’m sure he’ll end up at Loose forward but for now I’d be using him mainly in the second row and letting Bateman and even Isa go in to the middle before him.
RankPostsTeam
International Star1426No
Team
Selected
JoinedServiceReputation
Aug 27 201311 years305th
OnlineLast PostLast Page
14th Nov 22 21:4021st Sep 22 16:48LINK
Milestone Posts
1000
2500
Milestone Years
0510 1520 2530

Re: Smith and Smithies : Fri Apr 30, 2021 4:08 pm  
Wigg'n wrote:

Partington is kind of making the 13 shirt his own at the minute but still lacks any real skill with the ball really which is a big shame.
.

Just an aside but Byrne and Shorrocks have put in some good passes to change the point of attack.
User avatar
RankPostsTeam
Club Captain4638
JoinedServiceReputation
Jan 05 20159 years194th
OnlineLast PostLast Page
27th Mar 24 18:4723rd Mar 24 14:44LINK
Milestone Posts
2500
5000
Milestone Years
0510 1520 2530

Re: Smith and Smithies : Fri Apr 30, 2021 5:37 pm  
That is surely part of the training. The Bibby try was clearly a training-ground move, started by Shorrocks throwing the long pass to Hastings. Everyone set up ready, go through the hands, and over in the corner. Very nice.
jonh 
User avatar
RankPostsTeam
Club Owner20111No
Team
Selected
JoinedServiceReputation
May 27 200321 years44th
OnlineLast PostLast Page
28th Mar 24 08:2627th Mar 24 19:43LINK
Milestone Posts
20000
25000
Milestone Years
0510 1520 2530
Location
educating League Freak on all things rugby league
Signature
Unofficially the most boring poster on Cherry and White.

Re: Smith and Smithies : Fri Apr 30, 2021 9:50 pm  
Smithies does not have the skills of a ball handling 13 nor the size of a meter making middle.

He is a hardworking secondrow and a good one at that.

He isn’t big enough to mix it in the middle but he does a good job on an edge.

He is, at the moment, the natural successor to Isa in the 3 man rotation at secondrow.
User avatar
RankPostsTeam
International Board Member29166
JoinedServiceReputation
Nov 08 200419 years16th
OnlineLast PostLast Page
27th Mar 24 23:1827th Mar 24 12:49LINK
Milestone Posts
25000
30000
Milestone Years
0510 1520 2530
Location
WIGAN

Re: Smith and Smithies : Fri Apr 30, 2021 11:12 pm  
jonh wrote:
Smithies does not have the skills of a ball handling 13 nor the size of a meter making middle.

He is a hardworking secondrow and a good one at that.

He isn’t big enough to mix it in the middle but he does a good job on an edge.

He is, at the moment, the natural successor to Isa in the 3 man rotation at secondrow.


Even as somebody who doesn’t think we should be playing him in the middle at the minute, I do still think he can do a job there. I agree he’s not really a ball player but even last season, he was making more ground through the middle than Partington currently is. That isn’t bagging Partington either, he’s doing a good job for us and brings a lot of those things to a team you just can’t measure statistically. I just see it currently that Smithies has looked like a solid/good loose forward but he’s looking like a very good second rower.

On a side note, he will take over from Isa and I wonder if that will be in 2022. I noticed that Isa’s partner has signed for a women’s team in the USA (she’s currently a footballer for Man City’s women’s team if anyone doesn’t know) and can’t help but wonder if Willie will have spoken to a team in this new North American League and picked up a club. In terms of lifestyle, I couldn’t blame them if they decided to relocate over there.
RankPostsTeam
International Star1426No
Team
Selected
JoinedServiceReputation
Aug 27 201311 years305th
OnlineLast PostLast Page
14th Nov 22 21:4021st Sep 22 16:48LINK
Milestone Posts
1000
2500
Milestone Years
0510 1520 2530

Re: Smith and Smithies : Sat May 01, 2021 8:37 am  
Some players suffer because of their own utility. Isa has been criticised for not being big/fast enough position x. It is good to see him being rewarded for his valuable contribution. If he decides that a new challenge in the USA is what he is up for I would personally lead the guard of honour for his efforts. Can Smithies follow that? I do not know but he is more limited than Isa. Like a lot of people I am hoping that KPP can step up because he has already shown a flair that most forwards do not have. The worry is that he may not be robust enough.
RankPostsTeam
International Star2735
JoinedServiceReputation
Feb 01 201014 years131st
OnlineLast PostLast Page
28th Mar 24 00:3227th Mar 24 12:09LINK
Milestone Posts
2500
5000
Milestone Years
0510 1520 2530
Location
Under New Springs bridge wit' rest of trolls

Re: Smith and Smithies : Sat May 08, 2021 9:01 pm  
Smithies back to type today with that awful penalty, I thought he'd improved over the last few weeks but there it was again.
Isa/Farrell back in the 2nd row and he's dropped altogether.
jonh 
User avatar
RankPostsTeam
Club Owner20111No
Team
Selected
JoinedServiceReputation
May 27 200321 years44th
OnlineLast PostLast Page
28th Mar 24 08:2627th Mar 24 19:43LINK
Milestone Posts
20000
25000
Milestone Years
0510 1520 2530
Location
educating League Freak on all things rugby league
Signature
Unofficially the most boring poster on Cherry and White.

Re: Smith and Smithies : Sat May 08, 2021 9:32 pm  
Smith lack composure and Smithies is a great young grafter.

Sadly we have a pack of great young grafters we need some experience and quality that’s a little different to what we currently have.
PreviousNext

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Azul, Cherry_&_White, CobraCraig, Fujiman, jonh, ksm1701, Lazy J, MattyB, NickyKiss, verbatim and 422 guests

REPLY

Subject: 
Message:
   
Please note using apple style emoji's can result in posting failures.
Use the FULL EDITOR to better format content or upload images, be notified of replies etc...

Return to Wigan Warriors


RLFANS Recent Posts
FORUM
LAST
POST
TOPIC
POSTER
POSTS
2m
Fevround 2
Wollo-Wollo-
89
3m
The Good Friday Derby Massacre
LifeLongHKRF
118
11m
Huddersfield - Home
Fartown58
6
12m
Squad for Catalan
karetaker
3
12m
Saints a
CobraCraig
15
15m
Smith - should he stay or should he go
Rocknrolla69
347
19m
Challenge Cup
stpatricks
37
22m
Game - Song Titles
Wanderer
34261
23m
No grade A for 2025 for Trinity
Khlav Kalash
22
24m
BORED The Band Name Game
Wanderer
55975
FORUM
LAST
VIEW
TOPIC
POSTER
POSTS
21s
Smith - should he stay or should he go
Rocknrolla69
347
22s
The Bulls away
Hudd-Shay
8
24s
Spare Tickets Friday
post
4
31s
BORED The Band Name Game
Wanderer
55975
32s
Challenge Cup
stpatricks
37
46s
Shopping list for 2025
Tarquin Fueg
405
47s
WIRE YED Prediction Competition Catalans Home
Uncle Rico
11
1m
Rd 6 I Cas A
Rockinhorse
21
1m
Wigan v Sts discussion - THIS THREAD ONLY PLEASE
Zig
1933
1m
CROWD
Trebor1
14
FORUM
NEW
TOPICS
TOPIC
POSTER
POSTS
TODAY
Squad for Catalan
karetaker
3
TODAY
The Wigan Way - New Podcast - Chairman Special
Jukesays
1
TODAY
Dons v Swinton Lions 30 June 2024
Wanderer
1
TODAY
Squad for Sheffield
AdamH
1
TODAY
London Away
Fartown58
1
TODAY
The Bulls away
Hudd-Shay
8
TODAY
The official Leon Hayes Thread
Alffi_7
13
TODAY
Saints a
CobraCraig
15
TODAY
Leon Ruan signs on loan
Jemmo
2
TODAY
Wardle
Jo Jumbuck
3
TODAY
Huddersfield - Home
Fartown58
6
TODAY
Max Wood on loan to Bradford 2 weeks
rubber ducki
7
TODAY
Jake Wardle 5 Year deal
Zig
22
TODAY
No grade A for 2025 for Trinity
Khlav Kalash
22
TODAY
Cup Quarter Final TV Arrangements
RLFANS News
1
TODAY
Rd 6 I Cas A
Rockinhorse
21
TODAY
WIRE YED Prediction Competition Catalans Home
Uncle Rico
11
TODAY
Spare Tickets Friday
post
4
TODAY
RL Podcast
AgbriggAmble
1
TODAY
Challenge Cup
stpatricks
37
TODAY
2024 Challenge Cup Quarter Final Draw
RLFANS News
1
NEWS ITEMS
VIEWS
Cup Quarter Final TV Arrangeme..
476
2024 Challenge Cup Quarter Fin..
593
Easy Does It For The Dragons A..
535
Warrington Demolish London For..
645
Leigh Leopards Beat Plucky Fea..
696
Saints Triumph Over Disappoint..
665
Easy Win for the Wolves Over L..
917
Dragons Condemn Castleford To ..
896
Leigh Leopards Secure First Po..
1044
St Helens Tame The Rhinos To W..
1015
Wigan Warriors Come From Behin..
1073
Betfred Championship and Leagu..
1059
2024 Challenge Cup Sixth Round..
3834
Featherstone Win Extra Time Cu..
1180
Dragons Triumph Over Hull FC t..
1060
RLFANS Match Centre
Matches on TV
Table 'boards.stats_fixtures' doesn't exist