I'm more concerned by the fact that Smith has not had a first grade taste, because others sniffing around can offer that as part of the deal. Tim Smith would certainly not be the only young superstar to play grade as a nipper. Freddy Fittler springs to mind.
Parra will only keep him if Parra can offer him a decent future. Signing 2 5/8's to clog the path in front of him was not a good pointer, but a taste of first grade would be a great start.
RE Tonga, no one would have preferred him over Vaealiki when he left. It was never Tonga v Vaealiki. It was Tonga v Paterson/Graham/Prince/Burt for the centre spot IF Lyon and Vaealiki got injured. Tonga was not automatically the third option. At Canterbury he woulod definitely be in the centre trio with only Lolesi and Harris. Big difference.
The other way of looking at it is that Tonga, as well as Langi, O'Dwyer, Burt, Anderson and Graham have all been given a decent go in firsts because opportunities have presented themselves. One has been a massive success and hjagged an Origin gig. The others have been average. Guess which one was not in Eels colours this year!
Tonga got better certainty of future at Canterbury - at worst he was centre no. 3 guaranteed - only needing to wait for the inevitable injury to open the door for him. We need to give Timmy Smith this same type of assurance.
I'm an advocate of 'if the kid's good enough, he's old enough'. With Dykes and Wagon beside him, he'd learn heaps and get a decent transgression without having the playmaker pressure thrust upon him that Witty had.
I'd hate to see him leading the Dogs or Manly to a GF in 2006 because Brian Smith dithered in 2004.
