Saints clearly saw enough in him to not want to release him permanently... loan spell after loan spell. I don't quite think he's good enough to be a Saints player right now and think his correct level is at Salford. However... with the signings that are coming in at The Willows... he may find he had to be that 10-20% better to fit in next season. One thing is for sure... he won't take a backwards step and occasionally has a spark that could win the game... who knows.. he may play and find that sudden spark just when you need it.

Smith was played at hooker quite a bit at Crusaders, and I wondered whether this was a better position for him. His defence was strong enough, certainly, but when he played half back for us, we bemaoned his reluctance to take the ball to the line. Hooker saw him already in the mix.

I have discussed with Dux whether we would have been better retaining him as a hooker instead of Moore. Although I feel Moore's a more talented footballer on his day, I think he lacks Smiths temprement; coming up with some foul decisions in defence and more than the odd clanger in attack. Smith may be a little more middle of the road, but wins ground back as a percentage player.

That said, Moore was picked in the England squad and dream team while at Hudds (coached by an Australian former hooker, incedently). If he can recapture that sort of form, the above issue will go out the window.

Dear god you are having a joke arent you?!
I'd say Matty Smith is much better than Wheeler.

Not even close.

No chance.

Nope. Better only at staying fit.

You've spent too much time in the South Stand.

Matty Smith is an half decent player but he is not in the same class as Wheeler.
If Wheeler can stay injury free(a big if) this kid has all the class in the world,believe you me.

But that wasn't my point. My point was Saints didn't believe him good enough when it came to recruiting him permanently but now all of a sudden he's good enough when we are stuck and not just stuck but stuck at the most important time of the season when we need very good players to be available. Surely if he wasn't good enough he wouldn't be good enough no matter how desperate we were? (That's why I brought up Tyrer - my guess is that Tyer would never be recalled whether we had anyone left to play winger or not because that lad has simply never learned how to defend)

Course he's good enough if the 4 players ahead of him are injured.

If your only other option is to play a loose forward/2nd rower in the halves instead, surely a natural half back would be better.

There are many players in SL that are "good enough" to play in super league, but not good enough for Saints. That doesn't mean they couldn't do a better job than someone else in your side playing out of position.

Well, if rumours are true, the second rower will still be playing in the halves over a hooker who was once a halfback. However, whatever people say, clearly Saints think him good enough to fill the spot in a playoff match otherwise they wouldn't have recalled him at all.

*No need for comments like that - TS*

FWIW i like Matty as a person but IMO it's clear to see that his not good enough to be in our starting 17 with a fully fit squad. I'd have him as back up but that can't happen with the salary cap and the fact he wants to play everyweek.

I've never met Matty Smith myself. Alas, you are incapable of understanding what was written so I am not going to explain it any further.

Just been listening to McCrae on GMR. He said M.Potter phoned him about an hour before Salfords game on Sunday and asked him about Matty coming to Saints to help us out. McCrae said that he told Potter he would ask him at the end of the game. .......... and the rest is history.

I would imagine Matty jumped at the chance; at least, that is what it sounded like from the quote I saw in the media when the news broke. If he does play I hope he impresses. At the very least that will give his confidence a boost.