Smith was a whipping boy, no he wasn't the best half back but he was exactly what we needed to balance out the team first with Blake Green and then with a young Williams and he won us plenty of games with his drop goals.Wigan_forever1985 wrote: ↑Fri Jun 11, 2021 10:27 amSorry but no - Smith was another incredibly average player - some people had this notion that he was this great organising general he absolutely was not - he was another slow limited average player who was never really good enough to play for Wigan - this idea that we never replaced him absolute nonsense Smith left us at age 29 so not exactly old and what did he do after in the 3 years that followed before he found his level at Widnes - got passed around and not played because he wasn't good enough - no matter how nice he was or how good he trained or how committed he was not good enough - he only played for st helens because of KFCfozzieskem wrote: ↑Fri Jun 11, 2021 10:01 amOh I know you did Josie,after all we often talked about how he’d be missed and more to the was missed,I was referring of course to the wider board
I hate the idea people think certain players are "whipping boys" - its always the same kinda player too - no-one minds your Zak Hardakers or Gareth Hocks getting a bit of stick but start calling out the "solid professionals" and suddenly they are the whipping boy.
Smith was a poor half back, Powell is a poor hooker - its nothing personal, but the modern game is dynamic you need to have speed and if you havent got that you need to be incredibly smart with the ball which neither of these are.
Powell is Smith Mk2 really hes just been luckier- think about it imagine that Logan Tomkins had turned out to be a really good hooker. Powell would of stayed at half back - and he would have never had made it because he wasnt good enough to be a half back for Wigan - the main reason he starts for us and plays here is that we literally have had no other hookers in our team so he has had no competition. Im sure Wigan dont mind him there because we know how much Radlinkski loves players who are triers and he wont kick up any controversy
It isn't also a case of he went down hill after leaving, his career took a downward spiral after the eye injuries and a period of alot of promising half backs coming through.
Would I want him back No but to state he was always rubbish and not good enough is ignoring what he brought.
Of course this is my opinion.
There's also no such thing as Wigan standard in a salary cap sport, everyone can spend the same and will be looking for the best players available in that budget.