it's official & no surprise that the Sharks signing Chris Heighington announcement won't be far away
http://www.newcastleknights.com.au/news-display/Knights-sign-Jeremy-Smith/64513
The Hunter Ports Newcastle Knights is pleased to announce the signing of New Zealand international Jeremy Smith on a three-year deal following his release from the Cronulla Sharks.
Smith is a dual Grand Final winner who has played 139 games in the NRL. The forward has represented New Zealand on 24 occasions and was a vital part of the Kiwi team that won the 2008 Rugby League World Cup.
After starting his career with the Melbourne Storm, Smith moved to the St George Illawarra Dragons in 2009 where he played under Knights coach Wayne Bennett. The powerful forward was a key member of the Dragons’ 2010 Premiership-winning side.
Smith joins the Knights after two years at Cronulla and looks forward to linking-up with his new team and once again being coached by Bennett.
“I’m very excited to be joining the Newcastle Knights and I’m really looking forward to playing in front of the Club’s Members and supporters,” Smith said. “It will be great to reunite with Wayne; I’ve played under him before and I know what he brings to the table. He’s a great coach with plenty of experience and his record speaks for itself. “I can’t wait to join the rest of the team and get stuck into training.”
Bennett believes bringing Smith to Newcastle was a major coup for the Knights. “We are very fortunate to have Jeremy coming to the Club, I just didn’t think a quality player would be available,” Bennett said.
“He got an opportunity to leave Cronulla and we got an opportunity to take him; I couldn’t believe our luck. It is certainly one I didn’t think would happen until next year but we grabbed it as quick as we could.
Bennett was enthusiastic about the impact Smith would have on the Knights, both on and off the field. “We will all see what Jeremy brings on the field, but it is what he brings off the field as well,” Bennett added.
“He is a highly motivated person, great in a team environment and will help all those around him play better because of his presence. “His actions certainly speak louder than his words, but he isn’t afraid to speak up either. He won’t tolerate teammates that aren’t giving their best.”
Smith was released from the final year of a three-year contract at the Sharks for personal reasons.
Jeremy Smith
Club career:
Melbourne Storm (67 games, 12 tries)
St George Illawarra (30 games, 5 tries)
Cronulla Sharks (35 games, 7 tries)
Representative honours:
New Zealand (24 games, 3 tries)
