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Confirmed.

https://wiganwarriors.com/blog/2023/10/ ... ves-wigan/

Morgan Smithies Leaves Wigan

Morgan Smithies has left the Club to pursue an opportunity in the NRL.

The Club receives a significant transfer fee.

Smithies made 114 appearances for the Club between 2019 and 2023.

Morgan Smithies has left the Club for a significant transfer fee following the conclusion of the 2023 Betfred Super League season to pursue an opportunity in the NRL.

Smithies, who made his debut against Catalans Dragons in Round 8 of the 2019 season, went on to make 114 appearances winning a Grand Final, a Challenge Cup and two League Leaders’ Shields.

The 22-year-old has been with the Club since joining the Wigan Scholarship from amateur club Siddal ARLFC in 2015.

It became clear that his ambitions lay in the NRL, and earlier this year he signed with an Australian agent to look for opportunities, despite a contract extension offer from Wigan.

Chief Executive Kris Radlinski said: “Morgan came to see us a couple of months ago and told us about an opportunity that had arisen in the NRL. After Morgan expressed ultimate commitment and devotion to achieving Grand Final success in 2023, we said we would consider it at the end of the season.

“During that time, we worked diligently on our recruitment process to ensure that we had appropriate cover for his pending departure. Subsequently, we have now agreed to release him.

“We take immense pride in the role that we have played in nurturing Morgan’s development and we wish him nothing but success in his future endeavours.”

Morgan Smithies said: “I can’t thank Wigan enough for what they have done in my Rugby League career to date. Joining Wigan in the Scholarship and coming through to debut for the Club, playing over 100 games for the Club, and now leaving as a Challenge Cup and Super League winner – I couldn’t have asked for more. I now get to move on to the next part of my career and achieve a goal of playing in the NRL.

“I have been able to achieve so much at this Club through the guidance of Matty Peet, Shaun Wane, Adrian Lam and Kris Radlinski. I would not have the opportunity to go and play in the NRL without Wigan, and the support of these men.

“To Adrian for giving me, as a teenager, my debut and my first opportunity. To Matty, who has coached me since I was 15-years old, and played a major role in my development as a Rugby League player, I can’t thank him enough for his support to me on and off the field, and for his understanding and support in assisting with this NRL opportunity. I am glad we were able to finish with a Grand Final and go out on a high together.

“I would also like to thank Kris Radlinski, Ian Lenagan and my agent Liam Ayoub for their efforts behind the scenes in working this out whilst I maintained my sole focus on helping this Club reach the heights we have been able to in 2023.

“And to the Wigan fans, I am glad we brought home the title to Wigan. I will always be a Wigan Warrior and can’t wait to see you all support the boys next year as they attempt to win another World Club Challenge and aim to go back-to-back.”

https://wiganwarriors.com/blog/2023/10/ ... ves-wigan/

Absolutely gutted

Will leave a huge hole

Good luck to him. Hope he smashes it over there. Who knows, we might see him back here one day.
Enter Owen Farrell ????

Well it'll go one of 2 ways he either never comes back or he's home this time next year to whatever club,it is what it is I suppose good luck to him

I can see him having a long stint ala morley/graham/ellis

he will go good in the NRL IMO his engine is second to none

Good luck to Morgan. He gave 100% whenever he played and was a credit to himself.

The interesting bits following Morgan's departure are how much was the fee and who will be his replacement?
No doubt we'll find out his replacement in time. The new kit will be out soon and you'd imagine the squad numbers as well.

As for the fee no doubt the RL journos will be trying to be the first with the story.

What a shame but good luck to him.Makes you wonder how other top clubs keep there player's for a full contact nearly always Wigan that let them move half way through beggers belief .

Good luck to the lad i have no doubt he will smash it over there.More likely in the second row i reckon

Well at least there is no mention in the press release of what a compliment it pays Wigan that NRL clubs come after our players or that we have first refusal if he comes back and other similar b/s. One of the most annoying things over previous such exits was the false gloss Wigan tried to paint over them which fooled very few.

At least this time what Rads states is true i.e. “...we worked diligently on our recruitment process to ensure that we had appropriate cover for his pending departure."

so the impact of him going is lessened but as for this:

" Subsequently, we have now agreed to release him. "

That implies if the clubs recruitment efforts had not come off they would not have agreed to release him. Given the club has never yet had the balls to hold a player to a contract I am not convinced they would have refused.

Hard to say how much of a hole this leaves. He was just coming into being a very fine player with his overall game developing. His 55 tackles in the GF is a hard act for anyone to follow but at least the club has recruited some good players one of whom hopefully will step up.

I think he will be a success over there and good luck to him.