Regarding Morgan Smith, it says in League Weekly that Warrington and hot on his heels for his signature as Smith has got himself an agent and is open to the highest offer.

TBH I havn't seen the lad play so couldn't comment on wether he is worth busting the bank for.

He is worth busting the bank for.

I am lead to believe though, although different position, that Cameron Smith is the best player of his age, and who everyone wanted and wants.

How do you bust the bank on a kid?
Throw £££££ at him whilst he is out of the 1st team therefore not yet on the salary cap? Then what happens once he hits 1st grade? Is his house/car already made for him from before?
It can turn daft. Sold to the biggest idiot.

It's a tough call on whether Leeds have developed any potentially top class halves. There are a smattering of Leeds products in Super League now and in the past (Luke Gale, Scott Murrell, did Tansey start as a half back?) who had to drop down a division for a while before stepping back up...that of course will not have aided their development and who knows how they'd have faired staying in a full time environment at a top class club?

I am a big believer that busting the bank with regards young outstanding players, has nothing to do with cash. It's all about opportunities and the path they are on.

For me every big club will be offering nothing different to potential stars in terms of short term money, money will be the same at each club. However opportunities is what changes that money value in the medium to long term.

does Super League need these lightning fast, eye catching halves anymore? so do they need to be developed.

Leeds have won plenty of titles with solid pivots and Wigan are doing the same.

Just a thought.

It's an exception rather than a rule that young halfbacks break into the team in the pivot positions. The most talented kids will probably be playing their junior rugby at 6 but have to learn the ropes in another position before moving to the middle. This has applied to Holmes, Schofield, Hanley, Edwards, Harris, Lockyer, Kenny and a lot more. Hardaker, Moon, Sutcliffe and Ward are all in that template of junior stand-offs who may one day step back in, while the next kid off the rank slots in at centre or back row. Scrum-half is a bit different. We could do with finding one ready-made over the next few years.

Nice response

No doubt leeds will not produce any wingers, centres or fullbacks of any quality for the next decade, the reasons for that being self evident.

Has Clark signed yet?

If Smith has an agent, I'm hoping for his sake it isn't Show Me The Money agency.

All about the bottom line and their cut, not what is best for the player in terms of his career development from what I've heard.

Hardaker would be my best guess to move to 6 in the next couple of seasons (if we can keep hold of him). Sutcliffe is still so young, John Holmes had several years of first team experience before he moved to 6 full time. Personally I think Sutcliffe with his size, would end up at 13 before he ended up at 6 ( maybe the Sinfield path).
It would be interesting to see Moon get a run at 6, I remember the days of centre/stand offs like John Woods, Mike Smith, Steve Donlan, Neil Hague, Dave Creasser, Schoey and of course JH himself. Are we at a point now though where a 6 is not so much an essential pivot and more a high speed support player and lethal finisher?

Think we've some options to move to 6 in a few years like others have mentioned in Sutcliffe, Moon and Hardaker already plus whoever else might come along from the Academy.

It remains me of who would replace Webb at FB. A new signing? Lee Smith? BJB? Hardaker?

On that occasion it was the latter and I wouldn't be surprised if it was the same guy again this time.

Sutcliffe (6) could be like BJB (FB), touted for one role coming through the ranks but as time moves on they look better in another role in the team.

If Hardaker switches to 6 or worse departs then the FB shirt will go to Ashton Golding should he continue his development and realise his undoubted potential the kid at the moment is electric and still only 17.

I sincerely hope what you've heard is wrong as they currently have Danny McGuire, Zak Hardaker, Thomas Minns, Alex Foster, Liam Sutcliffe, Brad Singleton, James Duckworth, Elliot Minchella, Josh Sunley and Ben White on their books.