NRL Grand Final 2020: Storm legend Cameron Smith says season has been one of the toughest of career

A premiership with an asterisk against it - you’ve got to be kidding, says Melbourne Storm great Cameron Smith, who sees the 2020 campaign as the benchmark for one particular trait.

Is the famed Smith-Bellamy time in the NRL in its final few days?

Storm skipper Cameron Smith has hit back at claims the 2020 NRL premiership lacks credibility and declared the campaign has been arguably the toughest of his record 19-season career.

Smith will make what is likely to be his 430th and final NRL appearance in Sunday’s grand final against Penrith at ANZ Stadium in Sydney.

The Storm qualified for the premiership decider after having to relocate to the Sunshine Coast from COVID-ravaged Melbourne in June.

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Is the famed Smith-Bellamy time in the NRL in its final few days?

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They have spent four months living at Twin Waters Resort and have not played a match at their home ground of AAMI Park in Melbourne since Round 4.

Despite the disruptions, the Storm finished second in the regular season behind minor premiers Penrith and were unbeaten in 10 “home” matches at Suncorp Stadium and Sunshine Coast Stadium.

Smith, 37, debuted in 2002 and said only the Storm’s salary cap scandal in 2010 came close to being as tough as this year’s campaign.

“Outside of 2010, for different reasons, this has been the most difficult season,” he said.

“Not so much because there haven’t been any breaks, that’s another challenge, but it’s more been about our relocation.

“We haven’t been in our homes and our beds for five months and for this group to turn around and play the way we have, play so consistently throughout the season and put the organisation back in a grand final is nothing short of remarkable.

“We are not satisfied with just making the grand final, we want to go there and play well and give ourselves a shot at winning the grand final.”

Cameron Smith will likely farewell the NRL on Sunday.

The 2020 NRL season was suspended after Round 2 in March as the COVID-19 pandemic ramped up in Australia.

For a time it looked like the competition would be abandoned entirely, but the NRL was able to rescue the season after a two-month break and restructure a 20-round premiership.

With rule changes, relocations, travel restrictions and COVID “bubbles” introduced, there have been suggestions the competition was only being played for financial reasons and to save the NRL from going bankrupt.

But Storm five-eighth Cameron Munster said the 2020 premiers would be as deserving as any other year given the hurdles they have overcome.

“I don’t think there should be an asterisk at all, but there will be a lot of opinions and keyboard warriors saying whoever wins it probably doesn’t deserve it,” Munster said.

“But with no byes and 20 games straight I feel like if anyone deserves it even more it is this year.

“Someone is always going to be talking about 2020 and how bad a year it was, but whoever holds up the trophy will remember that moment for a long time.

Cameron Munster has hit out at ‘keyboard warriors’ detracting from the 2020 NRL season.

“Win, lose or draw I am just glad to be in the best two teams in the competition.

“There’s obviously going to be a lot of talk about who wins it with an asterisk next to their name but there’s no use whinging about it, it’s been a tough competition and we’re in the final. I am excited to see what we can do.”

The Storm left home after Round 6 and were originally told to expect a “two or three-week” trip before being allowed to return to Melbourne.

But it quickly became apparent they would spend the rest of the season in Queensland and have had to adapt to living permanently in a hub.

The families of players and staff joined them on the Sunshine Coast and fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen said the 2020 premiers should be celebrated for their achievement.

“It’s so unbelievable that we are here in a grand final,” he said.

“It’s pretty crazy, it’s one of those years we’ll look back on.

“There is no reason there should be an asterisk next to this premiership. If anything, there should be an exclamation mark.

“It’s been a tough year. We really want to finish the job now. That’s our focus.”

Originally published as NRL Grand Final 2020: Storm legend Cameron Smith says season has been one of the toughest of career