OZSOME!

Aussie rules in big Morgan move

- DAVE CRAVEN

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, Huddersfield's Will Pryce (both Newcastle) and Wakefield's Lewis Murphy (Sydney Roosters).

His move was confirmed last week after Raiders paid a "significant" fee and Smithies admitted it didn't take long to decide once he had spoken to Stuart, the no-nonsense former Kangaroos scrum-half rated as one of the sport's premier coaches.

Smithies said: "He's pretty straightforward, an honest bloke and I trust what he says.