So your saying that Smith has until the end of June to accept what Leeds are offering? And if he doesn't it's time for goodbye?

Not what I heard. Other way round. Smith was frustrated that no new contract had been offered despite GH proclaiming it would happen through the media after the GF.

It is Smith that has put a deadline of end of June for one to be agreed.

You can see both parties argument to be fair. Smiths GF performance got him int he GB side. I doubt GH had budgeted for that, bearing in mind the wages structure which includes large increase for GB internationals. On the other hand Smith is out of contract end of this season and as pushed himself into been an integral part of the side, so of course would be expectant of a new deal.

technically the england side. But I would imagine that a new contract will be in the offing.

OK. Just clarifying what the situation you heard was. So much for Smith to Wasps after the WCC anyway so that's good.

Is it really a big increase at Leeds for full international honours at Leeds? At St Helens wasn't it around 5K which is hardly worth a mention in the grand scheme of things.

I think Saints actually had a bonus system giving something for caps. Not sure but think that is it.

At Leeds they actually pay a higher salary to the Internationals. Commonly been spoken about before. So once an Internationl the contract is re-negotiated.

On a different note though, considering we gave Peacock a new contract the other month, without really any need to , I am presuming that it was a reduction to make extra space, bearing in mind he got the luxury of an additional year.

As he was an England inetrnational (albeit 2nd tier to GB at the time) already you would think that the wage increase wouldn't be massive. The lad has been around the first team for 4 years and counting. he will probably now be on a decent wage.

Yes I think everyone (even me) was aware of that.



Not sure whether a reduction would apply to the remaining term of his existing deal but that is a possibility overall especially if Leeds were aware of his (unexpected?) RFL testimonial kick back outside the serial cap.

Are an individual player's personal sponsorship earnings (fees, call them what you will) outside the salary cap?

I stand to be corrected, but I think it depends on who the sponsor is. If they have any connection with the club, be that through sponsorhip, or whatever, then yes it is. That was part of Bradford's cap problems, an individual sponsored a player (Hape?) and had no connection with anything else, hence not cap eligible money. They then started advertising in the programme, so it became cap eligible.

That's a serial cap, not to be confused with a salary cap.

What's a serial cap, a hat worn in Corrie?

According to todays YEP theres a chance Smith could be released by June to start pre-season training with Wasps

If he is off seems either bad luck or bad planning on the clubs behalf?

We released Toopi and appeared to be on the verge of signing Soliola as part of the Tansey switch to the Roosters only for that to fall through, then we give Smith the Number 3 shirt and say he's going to be one of our main centres this year (i know injuries mean its not really happened yet).

And then Senior decides after years of hardly missing any games for us that hes going to miss almost half of the games played so far

Lots of pressure or oppertunity now depending on your viewpoint on
Watkins/Gibson/Ablett if Smith does leave.

Something's not right.

You've got an ageing centre who's coming to the end of his career (Senior) and two other centres who are far from being top drawer.

Then you've got a young British utility back who can play very well in all the back positions who decides to leave for rugby union?

If true it stinks of bad management, wrong priorities and bad planning from Mr. Hetherington.

Agreed.

What on earth is going on ? I know smithy hasn't always been a management favourite - Peacock said himself smith nearly got offloaded last season for attitude problems but got his act together and really knuckled down. I wonder if this situation has anything to do with this. Whether smiths suprise surge to being a top performer has caught GH out.