Hampshire has signed a new deal. Some exciting information coming on Saturday.

Briers coming back?

I wish

[size(Never thought I would say that)[/size

I hope not, we might bottle a 16 point lead

Any idea on what the news will be?

Jumping back a bit in this thread - Smithies would be a bigger loss than some think. Work rate aside (which is exceptional), the link play tends to go AHB- Smithies-Smith-French/Field/Option Runner. We've looked so much slicker in that respect this year. Not claiming Smithies is a SOL or Faz level of ball player, but there aren't many if any better in Super League. O'Neill would be the natural replacement for him at LF...as others have pointed out he has a good engine, added bonus is he can put it about a bit (more so than Smithies IMO) in respect of big tackles.

Not asking you specifically but a general statement, but where did this Smithies leaving rumour even come from? The only place i have seen it mentioned is on this thread, not even seen it mentioned on facebook which is usually full of rubbish.

No articles, nobody "in the know" seeming to back it up, no real evidence of it from what i have seen other than Smithies agent is an Aussie. Also Canberra seems to be the club being batted about, but would have thought they had been bitten enough by English recruits to stay away, especially Wigan players. Just confused at why it is being taken with so much substance?

I'm just speculating on the rumour banding around this thread, partially backed up / reinforced by our previous on big inward announcements being followed by outgoing ones. I'd love Smithies to see out his contract and beyond. If there are more ins to announce (particularly a big in) surely something has to give in the opposite direction? Very quiet on the Sam Powell front, and will we see some fringe outs like Halsall last season? Thinking about it, what a piece of business that was with how Wardle has shown up.

Popped up on my Facebook memories a year ago today that Wigan announced Jake Wardle, the amount of fans that were gutted about Halsall and a few even saying it was a poor deal. Turns 25 next month, best years ahead of him, I hope we see him become a legend at this club.

Importantly Jake has no desire to test himself in the NRL which is great news for us.

Wardle is top level already by Super League standards - as you say I'd expect he continues to get better, though I'm not hugely sure how that looks because he's barely put a foot wrong this season. Would be great if he can carry that to Test level in the Autumn, on the assumption that he's selected. For me he's a shoe in, though obviously to the rest of Super League fans he'll have only been picked because he plays for Wigan.

I know things can change but that’s great. And I wish more players were like that. He could genuinely become one of our best ever centres if he stays long term.

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Not only is he very skilful, he’s tough aswell which I was slightly worried about as he had a few injuries at Huddersfield, and there’s be a few times where he’s been down this year and he’s just cracked on.

Really want to see him start in that test series and do himself justice. He hasn’t been giving the billing he deserves this season. The guys on the Superleague Raw podcast debated the dream team and felt he should’ve missed out over Keighran and King. Now we’re not going to be biased against any of those 3 given the circumstances and all 3 have had good seasons but Wardle has been the best of them by a little distance IMO. He’s a traditional centre and some of his touches are outstanding.

The centres have been a real difference today, we’ve been messing about with Bibby/Hardaker/KPP/Isa having 2 proper centres has done us the world of good.

Take Marshall’s second try for example, absolute super pass from Wardle. The above centres didn’t have passes like that in them on a consistent basis.


From what I’ve seen Keighran has some nice skill but not the work rate of Wardle and King but that could be due to the way Catalan ask him to play. Slightly worried about him playing on the right rather than the left which he’s played all year but we’ll see.