08 November 2023 , 02:00
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Just one chat with Canberra boss Ricky Stuart made England loose forward Morgan Smithies realise he must join the NRL outfit.
The Wigan ace is the latest British talent to head Down Under for 2024 following Warriors team-mate Kai Pearce-Paul (Newcastle), Huddersfield’s Will Pryce (Newcastle) and Wakefield’s Lewis Murphy (Sydney Roosters). His move was confirmed last week after Raiders paid a “significant” transfer fee but it was quietly sorted earlier in the year. And Smithies admitted it hadn’t taken him long to make his mind up once he’d spoken to Stuart, 56, the no-nonsense former Kangaroos scrum-half who’s carved a reputation as one of the sport’s premier coaches.
Smithies, 22, said: “He’s pretty straight forward, straight to the point, an honest bloke and I trust what he says. It only took me one phone call to know I wanted to go play at Canberra. That says a lot about him as a bloke.
“I wouldn't have gone to another club in Super League. I’ve been at Wigan since I was 14. The club has done a lot for me and I love playing for them. But this opportunity is one I feel I had to take.”
Stuart, of course, has found Super League a happy hunting ground for fresh talent. England second-row Elliott Whitehead, 34, is his co-captain and has spent the last eight years in the Australian capital. But Canberra have also previously recruited England stars George Williams and John Bateman from Wigan as well as prop Ryan Sutton.
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England's Morgan Smithies (Getty Images)With former Test hooker Josh Hodgson they had five Englishmen at one point although only Whitehead now remains. Smithies, who helped Wigan win the Grand Final last month, said: “I’m absolutely buzzing for it. There’s been a few English lads who’ve been there: Elliot Whitehead, Batty (Bateman) and George (Williams) have all given me bits of advice to get me sorted.
“And I can’t wait to get over there and rip in. I’m only 22 and an opportunity like this doesn’t come every day does it? So I feel it’s one I’ve definitely got to take. I am going to go 100 percent at it, put everything in, have a proper dig and see where it goes.”
Wigan Warriors' Morgan Smithies on the charge against Catalans. He's now heading to Canberra. (Getty Images)With his combative hard-hitting style and insatiable work rate, Smithies - who flies Down Under later this month - should be well-suited to the Australian game. He made his England debut against France in April and was a late call-up to Shaun Wane’s squad for the third Test against Tonga last week. Smithies ended up being 18th man as the hosts completed a series clean sweep but insisted: “I wasn’t expecting to play, to be honest.
“There’s been lads who’d been in the camp for three weeks and not played so for me to come in straight away and play, probably wouldn’t have been right. Waney explained that. But to be a part of it, to be part of the week it was a great experience and with being Elliott’s last England game, it was good to be a part of that, too.”
You sense, though, there will be many more caps to come, especially if he delivers Down Under. Meanwhile, Wigan's Aussie stand-off Cade Cust - who won the Challenge Cup alongside Smithies last year - has move to Salford on a one-year deal.