Wigan offered Johnny Smith 5000 (pounds sterling) to play league after the war, the equivalent of about five years wages in New Zealand.
For the Northland legend it was a fortune and when he chose to stay with his mates in rugby and suffered the unforgiveable exclusion on racial grounds from the '49 tour to South Africa, Smith must have wondered about his decision.
Listening to men who drooled about Smith's play was to hear of a centre who had golden dancing feet and a sporting mind which was too sharp for his rivals. Bert Cooke and JB Smith were men whose skills drew the most emphatic applause from Fred Allen. Smith was simply the best.
On the Kiwis tour of the UK in '45-'46, the wings scored 52 of the 124 tries scored while Smith claimed only six as he manouevred his wings into position.
Broadcaster Winston McCarthy jotted down how Smith used a move when games were in the balance.