If Rogues says it, that's official enough for me. Bandit country mafia and all that

Mentioned on SL Full Time that we are just finishing negotiations with Smith at Salford. I think we can expect him to be our 7 next year.

I would agree 100% with this, but would be glad to be proved wrong. Bad enough Tommy going but if we can't hold on to Finch as well, to me that's the heart of the present side gone, and would take time to get the new heart beating as strong...that's saying that it ever could? but you never know..





Rock 'n' Roll.

[urlhttp://www.wigantoday.net/sport/wigan-warriors/smith-will-join-wigan-1-4614234[/url

MATTY Smith is set to be confirmed as Wigan Warriors’ first signing for next season.

The Salford half-back has agreed a deal with the Warriors and an official announcement could be made within days, the Evening Post understands.

It emerged last week that Shaun Wane had targeted the 24-year-old as a replacement for Thomas Leuluai, who is heading back to the NRL with New Zealand Warriors.

And it is understood that Smith has agreed a two or three-year deal after rejecting offers from Salford, Widnes and former club St Helens.

Though Wane would not be drawn on speculation, he gave an insight into the type of scrum-half he was chasing during an interview last week.

“I’m one to think outside the box,” he said, revealing his preference for a “project” rather than a marquee recruit from Down Under. And Smith would appear to fit the bill, having shown glimpses of his ability at Salford this season after previous stints with Widnes and Crusaders when he struggled for opportunities at Saints behind Sean Long.

Reports elsewhere linking Wigan with St Helens’ out of favour Lee Gaskell were wide of the mark.

Wane is still hoping to persuade stand-off Brett Finch to stay at the club despite strong interest from Super League and NRL sides, including ex-coach Michael Maguire’s Souths.

But he is resigned to losing George Carmont (retirement), Jeff Lima (Souths) and Leuluai (NZ), while injured prop Stuart Fielden is out of contract at the end of this season.

I wan't thrilled when the Smith rumour first surfaced, but I am coming round to the idea more and more now. Not so much that I think he's a class player, but that Wane sees him as a "project"; someone that can be plugged in to our existing structure without necessarily relying too much on individual skill.

Wane had done a terrific job so far this season but IMO trying to replace lulu, Lima, carmont and possibly finch will be the sure fire test.

He's basically got the same side that MM left him (seems to have took them up a notch) but finding the correct players to replace the out going will be a test of his ability in the transfer market.

Just out of curiosity, when is mossop off contract?

Mossop contracted till 2014

I wonder if he has any clause to allow him to join any NRL club?

I thought the "projects" were the junior players. Players we [isign[/i being projects bother me because it really is just code meaning they aren't up to it as they stand.

I wonder more and more about our strategy for next year. We are obviously using Tomkins as the "end of the line" play, but more often we are seeing O'Loughlin at first receiver, spreading it wide to a Finch/Leuluai, draw a man and give to Tomkins, who score the try.

Now Finch has the kicking game and the organising, but im pretty sure in that style offensive play, a player like Smith can do just as good of a job. Now Smith isnt a patch on Finch, nobody in super league is (half back wise), but i think he's a good young player and fits our policy well. I just want us to use all this cap space on a marquee player, a strike centre would be beautiful, or a monster prop for 2 years to give the lads some experience.

Im sure when we tied him up on long term in 2010 he had offers but he wanted stay at wigan , im sure i read tht on the site at the time