NRL interest ‘was there’ in Harry Smith as Wigan chief expresses delight in re-signing star man

The 23-year-old recently extended his contract until the end of the 2027 Super League campaign at the DW Stadium, with his old deal expiring next season.

Smith was ever-present in the title-winning 2023 campaign under Matt Peet, making 32 appearances and surpassing 500 Super League points earlier in October. He also celebrated his 100th club appearance as Wigan lifted the League Leaders’ Shield at the Leigh Sports Village in Round 27.

He has established himself as one of the best talents in Super League, as Radlinski admitted: “The NRL interest was there, no doubt about that.

“But I think Harry has found a place where he is happy and his family is happy.

“What we see in Harry is one of the toughest characters in playing the game.

“He also has the best kicking out of hand in the league without a shadow of the doubt.

“There was a game earlier in the season where he missed I think six kicks at goal – yet he put his hand up from 40 metres out to kick a winning drop goal.

"That’s strength in character.

“I admire him for that and the audacity to think that he could do that, and he did it. That’s what impresses me about him.”

The Wigan chief executive also hailed the importance of his goal-kicking, having kept a 100% record during the Super League play-offs.

Radlinski continued: “We brought in a kicking coach midway through last year in Paul Grayson. For many years, I’ve felt kicking in rugby league has not been given potentially the time that it's required to improve.

“It’s very much at the end of training.

“Top rugby union players are doing 10 hours a week just on goal-kicking, because it’s a bit more important.

“But as a sport, we need to focus more on it and give it more priority in our programme and we did that with Harry last year and it brought him on loads.

“He had to work harder than anyone else as he had to do extra.

“To secure him for four years, it’s really important for us.”