Just when the Canberra Raiders' stocks of Englishmen appeared to be coming to an end, they're looking to sign another.
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The Raiders have their sights on Wigan lock Morgan Smithies after he tackled his way to the English Super League title.
He made 55 tackles in an 80-minute shift in the Warriors' 10-2 grand final win over Catalans at Old Trafford on Sunday.
While the Green Machine's keen on the 22-year-old, he's contracted to Wigan until the end of 2025 - meaning they'd have to pay a transfer fee if the Warriors were willing to let him go.
Because he's on-contract, discussions haven't progressed to the point of talking about contract length.
The Raiders still need to get the all-clear from Wigan before they can seriously look to lock in the young forward.
While he's primarily played as a No.13 in his 105 Super League games, he can also play in the second row - an area the Green Machine were looking to bolster.
Smithies made his England debut in a 64-0 thumping of France in April.
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Raiders coach Ricky Stuart said the 2024 NRL season was going to be Whitehead's last, which would mean they're not only losing a second-rower - but their last Englishman as well.
England's been a happy hunting ground for the Green Machine in recent years with Josh Hodgson, Whitehead, John Bateman, Ryan Sutton, George Williams and Harry Rushton all coming Down Under to get a taste of the NRL.
Now Hodgson's retired, having moved to Parramatta this year, Bateman's at Wests Tigers, after returning to England first, Sutton's at the Canterbury Bulldogs, while Williams and Rushton returned home.
Interestingly, Bateman, Sutton, Williams and Rushton all came from Wigan as well.
While Smithies looked more a middle forward, the Raiders have been scouring the market for second-rowers after making unsuccessful plays for David Fifita and Keaon Koloamatangi.
Both opted to stay with their respective clubs - Gold Coast and South Sydney.
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David Polkinghorne
Covering the Raiders, Cavalry, cycling and racing, plus everything else that involves sport in the ACT, for The Canberra Times. Basically I love sport and watching it is a full-time job. Email: david.polkinghorne@canberratimes.com.au
Covering the Raiders, Cavalry, cycling and racing, plus everything else that involves sport in the ACT, for The Canberra Times. Basically I love sport and watching it is a full-time job. Email: david.polkinghorne@canberratimes.com.au
