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Raiders court veteran Smith for crucial role
Rugby league By Peter Fitzgerald
Monday, 14 June 2004
Former Kangaroo and Queensland Origin veteran Jason Smith is the England- based player the Canberra Raiders are chasing to replace Brad Drew.
Sydney player-manager Sam Ayoub confirmed late last night that the Raiders offered Smith a one-year contract last Friday.
But after discussing the terms and figures with Smith, Ayoub sent the Raiders a counter-offer yesterday.
While refusing to divulge details, Ayoub confirmed Smith was interested but looking for changes to the financial offer and the term of the contract.
"[The Raiders] will see that when they get back to the office [this morning] and I guess the ball will be in their court then," Ayoub said.
"All I really want to say is the club has made an approach and put an offer to us and we're still in the midst of talks."
Smith is currently the captain of English Super League club Hull. At 32, this would likely be his last professional football contract.
If Smith decides to come to Canberra, coach Matt Elliott would rotate him between a half/five-eighth role and lock.
This would allow the Raiders to bring outstanding Premier League teenager Todd Carney into first grade as the regular halfback in 2006.
Smith represented Australia at lock but also spent a great deal of playing time at half/five-eighth for the Eels and Bulldogs.
The Raiders' move came just one day after they offered Canterbury Bulldogs youngster Johnathan Thurston a three- year-deal - and three days after resident half Brad Drew announced he was leaving the club at the end of the year to take up a two-year deal with the Huddersfield Giants.
The Raiders declined to comment yesterday.
It isn't the first time the club has pursued Smith. It showed considerable interest in 2002, when he was coming off contract with Hull, but Smith re-signed as captain for a further two years.
He played 11 seasons in the New South Wales Rugby League and National Rugby League competitions from 1990 to 2000, and was expected to retire at the end of his current contract with Hull.
Smith remains a respected, inspirational player on the English league scene, where he fought back this season from a shoulder reconstruction.
He played 152 games in Australia, 63 with Canterbury between 1990 and 1995 and 89 with Parramatta from 1996 to 2000, before heading to Hull.
He played with the Kangaroos in the 1995 World Cup, was on the 1994 Kangaroo Tour and played a total of 16 Tests.
He was named man-of-the-match for Queensland after their 20-12 victory over New South Wales in the first game of the 1995 series and was also named Parramatta's first-grade Players' Player in 1998.
His combination with Dean Pay, Jarrod McCracken and Jim Dymock made the Eels' pack one of the most feared of the competition in the late 1990s
But Smith has been plagued by injury in recent seasons.
A shoulder reconstruction at the beginning of this year resulted in him missing a slice of the English Super League season with Hull.
His long-awaited return to football came just a fortnight ago and sparked instant success for his club.
"He's played two games since [the operation], which have coincided with Hull's two biggest wins of the season," Ayoub said.
"But he's just taking it one game at a time for now to get back to 100 per cent in all aspects of his game."
Smith's player profile on the Hull FC official website paints a picture of an ageing, potentially fragile yet valuable player: "Unfortunately the last couple of seasons have seen him dogged by a string of unlucky serious injuries but when he's been on the paddock he's been outstanding."
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I don't get to watch any Super League, so for those of you in the know, how is Smith going?
He's getting on a little bit in age, do you think he could handle it for another year or two?
What's his game like now? Is he more of a ball-playing forward, or is he an organiser? What's his kicking game like?
Sory for the 20000 questions, but any help would be appreciated.
Cheers.
Rugby league By Peter Fitzgerald
Monday, 14 June 2004
Former Kangaroo and Queensland Origin veteran Jason Smith is the England- based player the Canberra Raiders are chasing to replace Brad Drew.
Sydney player-manager Sam Ayoub confirmed late last night that the Raiders offered Smith a one-year contract last Friday.
But after discussing the terms and figures with Smith, Ayoub sent the Raiders a counter-offer yesterday.
While refusing to divulge details, Ayoub confirmed Smith was interested but looking for changes to the financial offer and the term of the contract.
"[The Raiders] will see that when they get back to the office [this morning] and I guess the ball will be in their court then," Ayoub said.
"All I really want to say is the club has made an approach and put an offer to us and we're still in the midst of talks."
Smith is currently the captain of English Super League club Hull. At 32, this would likely be his last professional football contract.
If Smith decides to come to Canberra, coach Matt Elliott would rotate him between a half/five-eighth role and lock.
This would allow the Raiders to bring outstanding Premier League teenager Todd Carney into first grade as the regular halfback in 2006.
Smith represented Australia at lock but also spent a great deal of playing time at half/five-eighth for the Eels and Bulldogs.
The Raiders' move came just one day after they offered Canterbury Bulldogs youngster Johnathan Thurston a three- year-deal - and three days after resident half Brad Drew announced he was leaving the club at the end of the year to take up a two-year deal with the Huddersfield Giants.
The Raiders declined to comment yesterday.
It isn't the first time the club has pursued Smith. It showed considerable interest in 2002, when he was coming off contract with Hull, but Smith re-signed as captain for a further two years.
He played 11 seasons in the New South Wales Rugby League and National Rugby League competitions from 1990 to 2000, and was expected to retire at the end of his current contract with Hull.
Smith remains a respected, inspirational player on the English league scene, where he fought back this season from a shoulder reconstruction.
He played 152 games in Australia, 63 with Canterbury between 1990 and 1995 and 89 with Parramatta from 1996 to 2000, before heading to Hull.
He played with the Kangaroos in the 1995 World Cup, was on the 1994 Kangaroo Tour and played a total of 16 Tests.
He was named man-of-the-match for Queensland after their 20-12 victory over New South Wales in the first game of the 1995 series and was also named Parramatta's first-grade Players' Player in 1998.
His combination with Dean Pay, Jarrod McCracken and Jim Dymock made the Eels' pack one of the most feared of the competition in the late 1990s
But Smith has been plagued by injury in recent seasons.
A shoulder reconstruction at the beginning of this year resulted in him missing a slice of the English Super League season with Hull.
His long-awaited return to football came just a fortnight ago and sparked instant success for his club.
"He's played two games since [the operation], which have coincided with Hull's two biggest wins of the season," Ayoub said.
"But he's just taking it one game at a time for now to get back to 100 per cent in all aspects of his game."
Smith's player profile on the Hull FC official website paints a picture of an ageing, potentially fragile yet valuable player: "Unfortunately the last couple of seasons have seen him dogged by a string of unlucky serious injuries but when he's been on the paddock he's been outstanding."
--------------
I don't get to watch any Super League, so for those of you in the know, how is Smith going?
He's getting on a little bit in age, do you think he could handle it for another year or two?
What's his game like now? Is he more of a ball-playing forward, or is he an organiser? What's his kicking game like?
Sory for the 20000 questions, but any help would be appreciated.
Cheers.
