What’s the Buzz: Cameron Smith drops massive retirement hint in new book

Three star hookers, one spot. Cameron Smith has broken his silence on his future — and the future of the Storm No. 9 jersey.

Cameron Smith (R) was well aware he had Brandon Smith waiting in the wings behind him. Picture: Kelly Defina/Getty Images

Champion skipper Cameron Smith has finally broken his silence, revealing he would not sign a new contract with the Melbourne Storm if it meant the club losing ­either of his outstanding apprentices Harry Grant or Brandon Smith to a rival club.

In his new book, the premiership-winning captain talks of the importance of keeping both players ahead of him staying on for one more season at 37 years of age.

He reveals he told coach Craig Bellamy during the season:

“There’s no way I’m re-signing for another 12 months if the club is going to lose either Harry or Brandon. I don’t want to see the club struggle in the long term just so I can play one more season.”

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Cameron Smith (R) was well aware he had Brandon Smith waiting in the wings behind him. Picture: Kelly Defina/Getty Images

The revelation puts to bed any chance of Smith having another year in the Storm No. 9 jersey.

“I was well aware of Brandon Smith’s and Harry Grant’s situations,” he writes.

“And I knew that if I chose to play on in Melbourne, it would be hard for the Storm to retain all three of us, even though the club had said time and time again that it could.

“I appreciated that Brandon and Harry were building careers of their own. Brandon has established himself as the New Zealand No. 9, and Harry played 2020 with the Wests Tigers, where he had a standout season.”

He gives a huge rap to the Storm’s recruitment team.

“If anything, the situation showed that the Storm’s ability to identify talent was almost too good,” he writes.

“They had recruited two great young hookers of the future — for the future. What none of us probably imagined was that the old bloke ahead of them would still be playing when he was 37.”

Cameron Smith: 'The Storm Within.'

He also explains the long wait to make the call on his future.

“I just didn’t know,” he says.

“I don’t know how to explain it.

“I just didn’t feel the decline at any stage of that 2020 season. If anything, I felt better than I ever had, in all aspects of my footy.

“I loved waking up and knowing I had to train. I enjoyed getting in there and competing with the younger players. I even enjoyed getting into the gym.

“Early in my career, the gym was something that I dreaded. The older I got, the more I loved it.

“All I could do, as the weirdest of seasons reached its climax, was concentrate on what I could control — and that was playing good football.

“The matter could have become a distraction if we allowed it to, but we didn’t. We just did what we always do at the Storm — get on with business. My decision would take care of itself.”

This is an edited extract from THE STORM WITHIN by Cameron Smith, out tomorrow.

Originally published as What’s the Buzz: Cameron Smith drops massive retirement hint in new book