Impossible to know if we'd want or need Luai in 5 years time. I know there was a lot of fuss around Rads comments on not taking Cleary over Smith and French currently and obviously if you had an endless pit of money and quota spots, you'd find room for Cleary in any side but I would say with a straight face that I wouldn't swap either for Luai right now. I think he's overrated tbh and him adding more for us than French would be impossible. He's a different type of player to Harry Smith as well and we'd lose too much control if you arranged a swap deal with Wests (in a hypothetical world). A good player with an even better agent is how I'd sum up Luai.

I think Luai is an outstanding player. Interesting many of the pundits are starting to say he’s the premier 6 in the NRL over Munster….but he’s now moving to be a controlling half back at Wests rather than a back up 5/8th to Cleary like he has been for much of his time at Penrith.

Money is obviously a massive draw for him to go to Wests but there is also his desire to run a team, which he won’t do at Penrith.

He showed he has the ability to be that controlling halfback this season when Cleary was out think they had their best run of form in the regular season whilst he played that role.

The most likely scenario I feel it that when French goes Smith and Farrimond will be our halves, although given the lack of controlling halves in the NRL I think there will be some strong interest in Smith so keeping him will be the biggest threat.

Ultimately though if we are needing to bring in a 32 year old overseas half in 5 years time something has gone wrong with our planning/succession planning, which so far under Peet and Dannon has been exemplary so I just don’t envisage a point of failure where we would require him.

The NRL interest in Smith has been there since before he signed his last deal and has recently resurfaced, with Fox Sports suggesting he is currently top of the 'most wanted' list over there.



[exturlhttps://www.wigantoday.net/sport/rugby-league/nrl-interest-was-there-in-harry-smith-as-wigan-chief-expresses-delight-in-re-signing-star-man-4440621[/exturl

[exturlhttps://www.totalrl.com/wigan-warriors-halfback-harry-smith-could-be-at-the-top-of-the-list-for-nrl-clubs/#:~:text

Given they have released Hunt, I’d be shocked if St George had not made enquiries.

I can't say I watch him every week and I do think he's a good player but I think he sort of sums up the over hype some NRL players get and how it's the polar opposite to how under valued players are when they play in Superleague. On the face of it, I'd say him and Harry Smith are totally different players (I've not seen enough of Luai controlling a side and kicking them around the field to compare like for like) but if I had the choice of Luai or George Williams, I would go with Williams every day of the week but the hype and salaries do not stack up.

Going away totally from Luai and talking about NRL hype in terms of a different player (while on the subject), is Izack Tago any good? I read he got a huge new deal at Penrith and I see loads of hype and I'm pretty staggered. I watched him in the flesh 4 times now I think and I've seen plenty of other NRL games and I just don't get it. Maybe I've been unlucky and he's just not done a great deal on the days I've seen him but he again seems a beneficiary of NRL hype.