Billy Smith Update

[Random Rooster]

If he was 30, didn't play centre and had limited ability....then id say bye bye

He is 24, a specialist centre and has shown plenty of talent in the games he has played.

We are heading into 2025 without 1 specialist centre...let alone 2. I dont think we have a choice and have to take a punt on Billy Smith. If he himself calls it time then so be it

[TumutChook]

So others are finally seeing what I’ve seen for the last 3 seasons. Club should have cut their losses years ago as due to injuries he’s a list clogger & always will be. Not saying he doesn’t have skill or couldn’t be good, but he never gets on the part so skill, potential etc means nothing. Old Quientin Kennan unfortunately just isn’t worth the list spot especially when our outside back depth is so poor for 25 onwards. We need at least 2 more outside backs that can be on the field moving forward.

[TumutChook]

Well he would, but he can't put wait on his ankle.

Yeah he would probably break his ankle or leg if he ever tried stepping.

[Big Dog]

poor guy just can't catch a break. Better start planning his post footy career soon

I really feel for him. He should be medically retired though. Hopefully we can look after him after that.

[TumutChook]

So is anybody though.

Teddy had a stack of injuries early on and now pretty much never gets injured.

If there was one thing Billy was struggling and it had complications then I'd agree with the calls for retirement. However it's been what... a shoulder, an ACL, a hammie, an ankle...etc.

Also he's an Easts junior who I believe does a fark load of work with our juniors/sponsors. IMO if he wasn't hired as a player, he'd be hired as some sorta assistant coach or ambassador (doing the same work but unavailable to play...ever). I like the utility that he adds. If we were Souffs then we'd be punting him ASAP because that's where their culture is at. IMO we can do better than Souffs!

Disagree. Couldn’t care that he’s an Easts jnr, he’s paid to be on the park & win & he never does that. I also don’t care about this whole we can be better than so & so or constantly comparing ourselves to Souths through some complex.
Hes also done 1 knee twice & the other once. Anyone knows that when you have these injuries others follow due to over compensation & that’s the case here. 3 knees,foot,ankle, the blokes not cut out for it & will just be sidelined again next year.

[Carlos Parra]

It’s time for Billy to step aside

He'll probably break his leg while doing it.

[Carlos Parra]

poor guy just can't catch a break. Better start planning his post footy career soon

That's his problem, he can catch a break! Every bloody time he appears to be fit.

[Mickie Lane]

The NRL Physio has a Billy Smith update which sounds a bit ominous has had 30% of the cartilage removed from the injured ankle and when he ramps up his running it continues to swell up, could be weeks/months or even the rest of the season before it settles down.

https://x.com/nrlphysio/status/1802539087691485230

Bloody hell.

[Cockadoodledoo]

If he was 30, didn't play centre and had limited ability....then id say bye bye

He is 24, a specialist centre and has shown plenty of talent in the games he has played.

We are heading into 2025 without 1 specialist centre...let alone 2. I dont think we have a choice and have to take a punt on Billy Smith. If he himself calls it time then so be it

We also don't have a choice but to try to sign a starting Centre for next season, because the club cannot rely on Smith any longer. Giving him 3 years was a massive blunder, let's face it, there wouldn't have been alot of competition for his signature. Our recruitment and retention has been very questionable for the last 5 years but that deal is right up there in the list of clangers.

[King Salvo]

Billy Smith would be on around 180 to 220 k one would assume so not taking up much of the cap.

[SupermanSupportsEasts4Eva]

This kid has dead set run over a black cat or had some spell placed on him FFS. He needs some serious divine intervention or something.

I heard that Sam Burgarse has a voodoo doll of him along with one of the locks of hair he pull off him during a game.

[Batemans Bay Rooster]

So others are finally seeing what I’ve seen for the last 3 seasons. Club should have cut their losses years ago as due to injuries he’s a list clogger & always will be. Not saying he doesn’t have skill or couldn’t be good, but he never gets on the part so skill, potential etc means nothing. Old Quientin Kennan unfortunately just isn’t worth the list spot especially when our outside back depth is so poor for 25 onwards. We need at least 2 more outside backs that can be on the field moving forward.

You're a farkin bundle of joy aren't you bro? He'd be on so little money it wouldn't be funny, he loves the club, he's worked his ass off recovering from more injuries than any player should ever have to go through, and the club is sticking by him.

You flog.

[Bates]

I'm proud of the club for sticking by Billy.

It's great that we can help someone achieve their dreams especially through so much adversity.

[Nathan Aboud]

Yet we recently resigned him for a further 3 years and had only played 27 games in 6 seasons. the money could have been used to keep both Joesph's at the club or even more for Angus as well....

The more we continue to pay him, the more our cap gets burned and then we have no one to bring through (like this weekend) as he is always injured!!!!! The fact that Jennings has played more games them him this year is a joke itself.

I think the club should either medically retire him or send him to the Super League.

[fletch]

FWIW there is a bit in this article suggesting Billy Smith is likely done for the year.

https://www.msn.com/en-au/sport/othe...2bfe9151&ei=11