Cameron Smith fuels retirement talk after Storm reach NRL grand final

MELBOURNE captain Cameron Smith has sensationally declared he’d “consider” retirement if the Storm won back-to-back premierships.

Cameron Smith celebrates Storm’s win over the Sharks at AAMI Park. Picture: AAP

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MELBOURNE captain Cameron Smith has sensationally declared he’d “consider” retirement if the Storm won back-to-back premierships.

In a bizarre somewhat tongue-in-cheek exchange in the post-match press conference Smith, 35, volunteered the possibility of hanging up the boots alongside retiring superstar Billy Slater.

Smith has yet to ink a one-year deal tabled before his management last month.

“If we were to go and play well next week and win, I don’t know, you’d consider it,” Smith said.

“Maybe. I don’t know. I don’t have a contract next year yet, I don’t know. We’ll see what happens.

“We’ll just get through the week first and see what happens.”

When pressed further to clarify the comments, Smith only fuelled the frenzy.

“Players finish up all the time and new players come in and you start writing about them,” Smith said.

Cameron Smith celebrates Storm’s win over the Sharks at AAMI Park. Picture: AAP

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“Hey, I’ve got all intentions of going around next year.

“You guys (media) posed the question to me. If you were to win, would you consider it.

“Well I don’t know, we win first and then I’ll see what happens.

“At this stage I want to play on.”

A contract extension puts NRL games’ record-holder Smith within striking distance of the previously unthought of 400-game barrier.

Cameron Smith kicks to set up a try for Storm teammate Billy Slater. Picture: Brett Costello

Storm coach Craig Bellamy would not buy into the bombshell comments.

The premiership mastermind, instead, heaped the ultimate praise on superstar Slater after his last game in Melbourne.

Slater, 35, paced the Storm to victory with two tries and a game-high eight tackle busts.

“He was tremendous. He was always going to be on a night like tonight,” Bellamy said.

“I just thought his teammates got out there and followed him.

“I don’t know how many times you can say how good a player he’s been and still is.

“It’s inspiring for me to see a guy that’s played this many games and played for that long (and) still got a little boy’s excitement about playing our game. It’s quite inspiring.”

Billy Slater is chaired off after victory in the NRL preliminary final at AAMI Park. Picture: Brett Costello

While thrilled with the result, Bellamy was diplomatic when asked about Slater’s possible shoulder charge against Sharks winger Sosaia Feki.

Slater bundled Feki into touch, close to the corner post, at full speed with his left shoulder in a try-saving effort.

“I only seen it in the game and I didn’t think it straight away, worry about that, I just saw it,” Bellamy said.

“I didn’t think there was too much in it. “Having said, that I didn’t study it closely.”

Originally published as Cameron Smith fuels retirement talk after Storm reach NRL grand final