Lee Smith : Wed Jun 24, 2015 3:45 pm  

Whatever happened to him?

Serious question.

Always thought he would make a cracking FB after that GF appearance.

Re: Lee Smith : Wed Jun 24, 2015 3:47 pm  

Good question.

Last i saw of him was in a Wakey shirt but that was a while back

Re: Lee Smith : Wed Jun 24, 2015 3:50 pm  

Lured away by the financial rewards of a move to Wasps, never really settled and then couldn't pin down a place on his return to Leeds.

Tried Union again at Newcastle, and was apparently released from the last three months of his contract to go try his luck in Australia having been restricted to playing Cup games this season.

Re: Lee Smith : Wed Jun 24, 2015 3:53 pm  

Biff Tannen wrote:

Good question.

Last i saw of him was in a Wakey shirt but that was a while back

Exactly...and now just seems to have 'disappeared' !! (Not back in RU is he?).....i got the chance to review this post before sending and just read Andy Gilder's post. Sad but you gotta admit the lad's a tryer !!!

Re: Lee Smith : Wed Jun 24, 2015 4:37 pm  

Saints rumoured to looking at him until the end of the season.

Re: Lee Smith : Wed Jun 24, 2015 6:08 pm  

Went to Yawnion where they coached the skill right out of him.

Re: Lee Smith : Wed Jun 24, 2015 7:28 pm  

We should put a poster of him in a Wasps shirt up (as well as a Chev Walker one too) at the training ground/dressing room to show our young talented guys like Hardaker and Watkins that RU will kill their careers.

Re: Lee Smith : Thu Jun 25, 2015 7:57 pm  

released by newcastle at his own request so he could go to oz to play union, now back home looking for a RL club

Re: Lee Smith : Thu Jun 25, 2015 11:25 pm  

Smith was probably lucky and unlucky in turn at Leeds. Lucky that in a winning team spots for him to play kept turning up either through injury or just lack of better alternatives. Unlucky that he never got the chance to consolidate in his best position at full back before he left.

He was also lucky in the era he played for Leeds IMO. Despite the annual "SL is weaker than ever" whining, I'd argue the fact that he (and Wigan version Calderwood) being picked for GB showed just how poor SL outside backs were at the time. They were geneuinely the worst pairing I've ever seen at that level, and midgets (at least in build) compared to most of today's best backs. I walked past the two of them in Brisbane one day and compared to the Aussie backs I've met they were tiny.

Re: Lee Smith : Thu Jun 25, 2015 11:39 pm  

BrisbaneRhino wrote:

Smith was probably lucky and unlucky in turn at Leeds. Lucky that in a winning team spots for him to play kept turning up either through injury or just lack of better alternatives. Unlucky that he never got the chance to consolidate in his best position at full back before he left.

He was also lucky in the era he played for Leeds IMO. Despite the annual "SL is weaker than ever" whining, I'd argue the fact that he (and Wigan version Calderwood) being picked for GB showed just how poor SL outside backs were at the time. They were geneuinely the worst pairing I've ever seen at that level, and midgets (at least in build) compared to most of today's best backs. I walked past the two of them in Brisbane one day and compared to the Aussie backs I've met they were tiny.

Let's not forget Paul Sykes, Ade Gardner. As well as Gleeson at 6, and Rob Purdham at 13. *Shudder*

For all the criticism TS gets for his time with England, I do think he did the best he could with what he had, and I have no doubt he'd have at least a couple of wins against Aus and NZ had he been in charge of the current squad.