People are getting fooled by the "swap hype" and getting carried away. Even if it was someone other than Hagan coming, or if Smithy had taken say the Penrith job, then rumours of which players might go where would still be everywhere.
It's par for the course whenever a coach is going to leave to go elsewhere, it's just we've forgotten it because we hadn't been in the market for a new caich for the past 9-10 years. Players will go, but after having virtually no turnover for this year, that was always going to happen.
We will all deal. The Eels will deal. Everyone that wears the jersey at the time is a proud Eel, whether they're heading somewhere later on or not. It's unrealistic to expect loyalty beyond a current contract anymore in a sport which become a full-time money thing. Those days are gone.
I wouldn't be surprised if Newcastle and Smithy will be very cashed up for 2007 because I reckon Joey's going to give it away... which means lots of spare cash to spend. What goes around comes around, we were cashed up back when Pay, Dymock, Smith and McCracken came our way. It's life Jim.
