According to the text I've just had off our Rog.....

Yes just got the text, full announcement at 12.

Extended until Nov 2018..Extra 2 years

Roger Draper extends his contract too. A few more years of stability at the club.

Definitely good news that both have signed / extended.
With stability off the field the 'on field' can only benefit.

Is it normal for a CEO to have a contract like that? They are not normally on 'contracts' as such are they? Not in the same vein as a player contract at any rate that are time specified...

great news!

Can anyone tell me what he has done over the previous three years to warrant a contract extension? Don't get me wrong I do like Smith but it just seems a strange decision based on the past couple of seasons. He hasn't won a trophy for three years and we give him two more years, would the top teams settle for that standard of trophy winnings?

"what have the romans ever done for us eh?"

I'm sorry I'm not quite following what you mean? Don't get me wrong I don't want Smith out and have never have done but giving him an extension based on the previous year is baffling to me.

he is (was) out of contract at the end of the year, when should they have offered him a new deal, or decided to find someone new?

I'm guessing you looked for a new coach and found there aren't any on the market that are better than Smith. Sadly all the great ex-NRL players seem to want to go straight into media now.