Why Melbourne Storm skipper Cameron Smith is greatest NRL player of all time
CAMERON Smith is a rugby league phenomenon who has nothing left to prove but plays like he’s yet to achieve anything, writes MATTHEW JOHNS.
NRL
Don't miss out on the headlines from NRL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
LAST Sunday, Joey and JT labelled Cameron Smith the greatest of all time. If it’s good enough for those two, it’s good enough for me.
But declaring him the greatest ever is just part of it. He’s the best big-game performer I’ve seen and probably the game’s top captain.
In 350 NRL appearances for the Storm, 50 Tests for Australia, 42 Origins for Queensland and four All-Star appearances, how many bad games has he played among those 446?
No player has operated so well under pressure. He saves his best for when it counts. Take his goalkicking. My son pointed out to me last weekend that Smith’s career percentage sits around 73 per cent. It’s rather low in relation to other kickers in the modern era, but how many important kicks does he miss? Very, very few.
In fact, how many important games does he lose? Very, very few.
Like last Sunday, a game which at the beginning of the week he was expected to miss due to a suspected pectoral tear.
On the Monday he was 200-1 to play but as the week went on, news started filtering out that the injury wasn’t as bad as first thought. And with it being Smith’s 350th appearance, he was desperate to play.
I still refused to believe he would, given the serious nature of the injury. Sure enough he not only played, but dominated the contest.
What made it even more remarkable is Cameron felt a twinge in the pec in the warm-up. For most players, that would immediately rule them out, but he kept it to himself and took his place.
Maybe he felt he had to play, given a big crowd had turned up to mark his special day, as well as the commemorative banner celebrating his achievement, positioned and ready for him to run through.
Or maybe he just hates missing games?
Coach Craig Bellamy has said the only times he and Smith have butted heads is when he tries to persuade his skipper to miss premiership games during the Origin period. It’s only this year that Cameron has agreed to.
In years gone by the No. 9 refused. He and Bellamy reached a compromise that Smith would sit out training sessions, but never games.
No player has dominated every level of the game like Cameron Smith. People are now starting to talk of him being the first player to make 400 NRL appearances. I think that’s a given. I reckon the bloke may hit 450.
Seriously. How can that body sustain 446 top-class games and be showing no signs of slowing down?
Buzz Rothfield reveals a representative star is considering a contract backflip on League Central podcast with Paul Suttor and Michael Carayannis, plus a full preview of round 22
In an era of footballers who train and look like Olympic athletes, Smith looks like the wiry old bricky who sits in the corner of your local every afternoon at knock-off, beer in front, smoke dangling from his bottom lip, quietly doing a crossword.
Smith’s nickname among the players is “The Accountant” in the belief his physique appears more suited to a desk job than the rigours of professional football. If I was an accountant, I’d be offended.
Smith is a phenomenon who has nothing left to prove but plays like he’s yet to achieve anything.
Where does that desire come from?
On Friday night, Smith’s Storm take on a team trying to prove its own point. Few view the “Thurstonless” Cowboys as a serious title threat.
Their performances without Johnathan Thurston have been good, and in defeat against the Roosters they lost no admirers. But to win this competition you need to beat Melbourne and here’s the Cowboys’ chance.
The Cowboys are very much about Michael Morgan and he’s learning that life as the chief playmaker is tough. He looked tired last Saturday night and the Roosters targeted him heavily.
You know it will be no different on Friday night.
Originally published as Why Melbourne Storm skipper Cameron Smith is greatest NRL player of all time
The hospital vigil which cemented Cleary and Ciraldo’s bond
At one of the lowest moments in Cameron Ciraldo’s rugby league career, Ivan Cleary dropped what he was doing to be by his side creating a friendship that’s lasted more than a decade.
NRL CEO defends ARLC’s new judiciary powers after backlash
Andrew Abdo has come out in defence of the ARL Commission’s new powers to send players to the NRL judiciary following concern in clubland and backlash from the players union.