I think the salary cap has now evened things out so much its down to who has the best coach. Its like pure coaching....as go karting is real racing and not handicapped by car/money as in formula 1. I think with this i mind Smith is really struggling....a cracking hands off coach with great players maybe....and perhaps a quite poor one when he's got a level playing field and it comes down to tactics, structures and canny recruitment.

Last year, when Shenton missed the whole season, Snake broke the Super League try scoring record. Dorn was full back. This year Shenton playing, but no Dorn. Gale is the common denominator, and that coach nobody wanted until Cas came, Powell.

In case you misses my point, its that Eden gets a pass....and a winger is only ever as good as his last pass.

Ferguson?

He fell out with Beckham, Keane, Yorke, Heinze, Van Nistelrooy....

You are right sal. I shouldn't try and pretend I know anything about football.
The point I was trying to make (albeit poorly) was that Smith should have been fully aware of the character that Sandow was and been prepared to manage the situation.

I don't pretend to know all the details but If it was home.sickness then surely that could have been managed better and the player supported if it was something else then that also could have been managed better.

There are loads of players running round in the NRL and SL that have had "issues" but some of the coaches are able to manage those situations. Obviously a lot of players with issues drift from club to club but not all of them.

For the first few years Smith was here he managed to deal with some difficult situations but for the last few years it appears from the outside that these things are being more of a problem.
I don't think it is unfair to say that the last 2 significant halfback signings have been reaction signings rather than recruitment that was well thought out, strategic, long term planning for the team in key positions.

The signings that showed strategic long term planning were probably Myler, Ratchford and Clark, who have had mixed success.

As for Sandow - the reason he ended up at Warrington was because no coaches in the NRL could handle him / wanted him, which is why he's now in the Queensland cup rather than the top flight.

It does seem like the NRL are not big on 2nd chances, but that may be due to a much deeper talent pool (or the realisation of the harm such behaviour can cause to team dynamics).

I agree. It could be down to the talent pool, because there are so many elite players there to compete with, that there isn't the license to be a problem player that can get away with things due to his outstanding talent...because sooner or later clubs can find a disciplined player with similar talent.

But also there's quite a disciplined, moralistic attitude in Australia when it comes to sport. Although having a laugh and enjoying a drink and a bit of boofhead behaviour is part of their culture, they do seem to take a dim view of it in sportsmen, I think because sport is held in such respect in Aussie life, they expect to see their sports stars uphold certain values.

Apart from the 'It was better than Lego' interview by Matthew Johns after the GF win, still off his face. Unable to keep it together because of Andrew running round shirtless, flying so high he could smell colours

They played that interview a few weeks ago on the matty johns show.
At the time the live interview went out on breakfast tv the following morning.

And they were both still "very excited" on their win. ...awesome stuff

Not sure how anyone can criticise the recruitment for 2017, we signed 2 England internationals, one of Wigan's GF winning props who was arguably one of the more consistent players during the season and an up and coming second row who maybe by his own marketing is being tipped as a future NRL recruit but has come with big praise as an upcoming star. When you look at how they have performed you can moan, but not about the quality of recruit at the time of signing.

My club contacts say that Sandow was a nightmare to prepare for every single match, and to manage seven days a week, so TS can't be blamed for not trying.

Agree with this, on paper the squad is stronger this season. Big question marks against why it's going wrong and we aren't seeing the best of these players. We've had injuries but they shouldn't have led to what we are seeing on the pitch.

Completely agree with this, we have massively strengthened our squad from last year so the recruitment side can't really be to blame (for this season anyway) Really just can't but my finger on why it's gone wrong, people keep pointing fingers as they need someone to blame (like Brown) but most of the Squad are playing crap as opposed to just one player causing issues.
I'm hoping we further strengthen for next year and we pull our fingers out. Kevin Naiqama would be an ideal Centre for me, he's off contract again so I would make a play for him.
Mose Masoe is looking to return and I would snap him up, BUT he is out for the season with a knee injury so not 100% sure on him as he has had quite a few knee injuries.
For a half I honestly have no idea, as we all know quality halves are in short supply so i'm not sure on that one at all.
And I would love to keep penny and get him on the Wing again or make a play for Jorge Taufua who we were reportedly looking at last season if Smith lets him go.

And Stam. But the only one he didn't adequately replace, in the end, was Keane. Smith's succession planning over the last two or three years has been extremely questionable, to say the least.