Yeah, you're probably right. I suppose they were two different kind of prospects. Moore was a rough diamond - talented but flawed - so I suspect the club thought that if they could smooth out the irregularities they would have a top player. As it happened he never got rid of his weaknesses. Smith probably looked like a solid enough player who was never going to get much better. Fair play to him - he's proved a lot of people wrong.

That's the call the clubs have to make with kids. Only so many they can sign or think are good enough. Sometimes the big potential kids don't turn out and it's the ones you don't expect that make it.

Ive never been big Matty Smith fan if I'm being honest but this last season I thought he was up there with Clark and Roby for man of steel.

I think smith fits Wigans game and how they play.

im not comparing the player i am comparing a pass that literally most people on here could throw, maybe not in the same circumstance but they could certainly throw that pass.

Quote: SLS "You think 12 years olds are throwing 10/15m passes to their wrong side perfectly in step for their outside backs ? Considering barely any British halves, Smith included, are even capable of providing quick and accurate passes to their wrong side at all, you're very wrong. So, I'll surmise you're either an upset mug because 'dat norty man sed bad fings about de Wigun pwayer' or you're an idiot. Since I've checked and you're a daft Wigan fan, I'll conclude that you're both.'" oh dear. its a simple bloody pass maybe you should go watch some youth rugby if you don't believe kids are able to pass a ball 10 meters EITHER SIDE. Kyle Eastmond is right handed i believe so he was passing it on his more favourable side unlike Matty smith against Samoa, you know the pass the greatest half back ever declared "unstoppable" Or are you just ing your nickers because Matty smith plays for Wigan and saints couldn't see the potential? www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULk3No_h_tI 1.53 just incase you didn't watch the game.

Quote: SLS "You think 12 years olds are throwing 10/15m passes to their wrong side perfectly in step for their outside backs ? Considering barely any British halves, Smith included, are even capable of providing quick and accurate passes to their wrong side at all, you're very wrong. So, I'll surmise you're either an upset mug because 'dat norty man sed bad fings about de Wigun pwayer' or you're an idiot. Since I've checked and you're a daft Wigan fan, I'll conclude that you're both.'" oh dear. its a simple bloody pass maybe you should go watch some youth rugby if you don't believe kids are able to pass a ball 10 meters EITHER SIDE. Kyle Eastmond is right handed i believe so he was passing it on his more favourable side unlike Matty smith against Samoa, you know the pass the greatest half back ever declared "unstoppable" Or are you just ing your nickers because Matty smith plays for Wigan and saints couldn't see the potential? www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULk3No_h_tI 1.53 just incase you didn't watch the game.

considering Tomkins was on his left and he passed it left that would make it his preferable side, starting to look silly now. And i watch plenty of rugby league here and play enough rugby too.

But don't worry buddy you keep ignoring the fact you highlighted a simple pass and tried to pass it off as an amazing pace that Matty smith couldn't do even though i have posted a video which clearly shows he can and has, your being either ignorant or deluded.

Highlighted: i think its you who needs to learn his left from right

Do you think he has?

I'm not sure he's got that much better than he was with us as a youngster. He's obviously gained experience, hence his decision making has improved, but he's still got a good long kicking game, an average short kicking game and an almost non existant running game.

He fits in very well with Wigans very structured play, and has done a decent job wherever he has been, but I'm not sure he's advanced that much as a player since he left us.

Could most people throw that pass at that level ?

Yes, I think so. Three years ago I think the majority of people would have said that he's not good enough for a top club. Now he's guiding a successful Wigan side around the park, picking up individual honours in finals, being selected for the dream team and in the England side. He's not the most effervescent scrum half any of us has seen, but I think it's fair to say his career has exceeded a lot of people's expectations.

I agree that it was the way the contracts where organised that put us back.

Eastmond should have been nailed down first not last. If he only would sign a lesser contract, then we should have made provision for him leaving.

Instead we let Long go to Hull, Smith go to Salford and then left Eastmond to hang us high and dry. Pushing Gaskell and Lomax in ahead of their time and panic buying Lance.

It's a long chain, but if they had tied Eastmond first, when he played hard ball, we should have realized and kept Smith on, with the knowledge that Eastmond was likely on the way out.

Smith with 2 years in him would have balance Gaskell or Lomax out far better than having to push them both through. If Eastmond had changed his mind, having Smith as a back up to Pryce leaving would be no bad thing either.

I was just going to say exactly the same thing in that he has not improved all that much to be honest, perhaps a bit more experience in his play over the years. The problem is that the quality and standard of Superleague has dropped a few notches over the last 5 years, which effectively has made Smith look a decent player.

Just imagine if Eastmond had stayed in League he would have had 6 more years of experience and could have been one of the most influencial half backs in superleague, alas money and bad advice changed all that.

Im sorry? Why has Eastmond had bad advice? To me it seems he got perfect advice. A massive pay rise and running out for England in front of 80k people instead of 15k people.

Regards

King James

The way it was handled. The only signing 1yr deal then leaving. The fallout with club, players and fans.

He was young and badly advised.