I heard him say these exact words "sport isn't just about winning". He then went on a long speech about how its about developing these players as people off the field and making sure they are ready for life after rugby etc. Tony, you are not a social worker or a careers adviser. You are a rugby league coach.

Toby King was signed directly from Meltham & as far as I am aware never played for Huddersfield Giants.

George King did play for Huddersfield Giants Academy & came to Wire on a player exchange deal with Micky Learmonth leaving Warrington.

Toby spent two years in the scholarship and played 12 games for them, all at scrum half

Didn't Sandow start at Wembley? As well as the semi? Or is my mind playing tricks?

Why get rid of him, we won the LLS and appeared in two finals last year and this season we are two points off the top!

He said he'd "Never" won it.

Can we nail this LLS stuff. No other big team sets that as a target. Our target was to win the Grand Final.

We're a strange club, when looking at coach retention.

If we take the average length of time for a coach to be two years, we rarely comply. We either have the "stay longer than the Mother-in-law at Christmas",..... Johnno over 7 years, DVDV 4 years, Cullen over 5 years and Smith 8 years......then, there's the revolving door syndrome....Anderson, Plange, Dorahy and gobpooh Lowes. We're either kneejerk or too sentimental.

As I've said before, I can't see Moran getting shut of Smith any time soon. They portray this image of them skipping through a cornfield, hand in hand, looking at each other longingly. An appalling season will be the only way that Smith goes.

p.s. He's still the best coach we've had in my watching lifetime

And will be this year too. The best way to give us a chance of doing so is to win the LLS (unless St Helens finish 4th). I agree the LLS is close to worthless (to us) but I'd rather win it than finish 5th. All routes should lead to Old Trafford; nothing else matters.

last year was so close, no matter how far.

Again, you are overanalysing it to serve a particular agenda. Sport [iisn't[/i just about winning and all those other things [iare[/i important. However, he's a professional rugby league coach and his number one ambition at the start of the season will be to win the top trophy. This doesn't stop him from worrying about player development, player welfare, providing entertainment. But trust me, when he sits down with the Board, and most importantly, Simon Moran, his overriding objective will be to deliver trophies and one above all.

On the topic of who I'd like as Smiths successor i would like to throw an alternative suggestion out there

Alfie Langer

Currently working at Brisbane as an assistant coach - so not a total newcomer to coaching
Former Warrington player so has the ex player/knows the club angle
As an ex half back could hopefully help improve our attacking play