Is it just hindsight or is it a lack of foresight to release a player who offered so much versatility, experience and proven quality with potentially many productive years still left in front of him?

While you might suggest Leeds replaced Smith with Vickery I couldn't possibly comment as before he rocked up at Headingley I'd never heard of him - I doubt I'm alone. In much the same way as I'd never heard of Mark Wilkes and Rex Terp.

I can understand if Smith felt unloved at Leeds, Hetherington has always portrayed a take it or leave it mentality and it appears he has a coach formed from the same mould.

Great to hear W55ARE i'd be happy to see him get a game if he's looking confident again because imo he oozed class for the Acadamy teams he played for.

Smith leaving sees him playing week-in week-out for Wakie in a settled role. Not the worst position for Smith.

Few OTT reactions on here. Injuries are part and parcel. As luck has it at the moment our three-quarters have been black-listed.

Zak..Vickery..BJB. It happens.

Yes we played Lee Smith at FB against Saints away last year. Anybody else remember how shocking he was that day?

Granted everyone (from memory, Stevie Ward on debut and Moore excluded) were poor, but Smith shone above the rest for being rubbish on that day.

Leeds lost in the two games that book-ended Lee Smith's efforts in the starting full-back role but they also won 26 of the remaining 36 which some might note included a deserved Harry Sunderland winning performance as a late replacement for Brent Webb.

Sadly IMO Leeds no longer possess such a versatile asset.

We've been unlucky in that we've lost our first and second choice full backs to injury. In that context it could be argued that releasing Webb showed a similar lack of foresight too. Maybe some things just can't be foreseen.

Webb's on field antics still leave a lot to be desired judging by his latest efforts at the Halliwell-Jones - and while McDermott/Hetherington made the right call they probably did so reluctantly having finally run out of patience with the player.

If they could have trained his mind as well as his body I think he'd still be here.

.....and yet I remember him in a recent? (last season?) televised Sky match playing RC where he perfected a left step feign in and out with a lovely pass to his try scoring wingman.

Bluddy hell...if that's the case IMO there should be no hesitation with at least rewarding him with a bench spot this Friday. Personally with all the less than ideal options I would start him at FB, leaving Watkins to continue his development at RC.

whilst we are at it we should bring in Leroy Rivett as wing cover, he won a lance todd

Great example. A player who has missed the first three rounds with injury.

His weight, whatever it's worth, had recently been a lot greater than when he last earned individual bronze with us, 5 years ago wasn't it?

That would be my personal opinion. Look at tomkins. He got his chance through injury and never looked back. That said the coach see the players all week and will make the right call

Great example but timing maybe a little suspect this early in the seaon.

He was available this week. A little unlucky not to sore the winner against the league leaders, although the pass from Tim Smith could well have been forward.

Smith can't complain about having a lack of opportunities since he returned from Union.

Many of his latter appearances in a Leeds jersey he looked slow, unfit and disinterested. Can't say I've seen anything from him at Wakefield to make me think Leeds got it wrong.