Craig Bellamy gives Cameron Smith his blessing for Maroons return
Momentum for a State of Origin return for arguably the game’s greatest ever player has been building this week on the back of Queensland’s well-documented personnel issues.
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Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy says he would not stand in Cameron Smith’s way if the star wanted to return to State of Origin this year.
Momentum for an Origin comeback for arguably the game’s greatest ever player has been building this week on the back of Queensland’s well documented personnel issues.
Bellamy said he would have no issue if Smith — who unexpectedly retired from rep footy before last year’s Origin series — answered an SOS from Maroons coach Kevin Walters.
“If Cameron wanted to play Origin again, he’d do so with my blessing,” he said.
“For what he’s done for our club and the game in general, if that’s what he wants to do I wouldn’t stand in his way.”
Bellamy, a former NSW Blues coach, said he couldn’t see Smith changing his mind and returning to the Maroons this year,
“I think he’s playing well enough to play Origin without a doubt,” he said.
“He’s been certainly up in our top three or four players every week to be honest.
“I think he’s playing well enough, but I’m not quite sure he’d want to go back and play Origin again after making that break last year.
“I’m not going to approach him about it. If he’s thinking about it I’m sure he’ll come and tell me.
“But I honestly couldn’t see him doing it, but having said that strange things happen in our game and in life.”
The Storm coach said he could not blame Walters for trying to persuade Smith to return to the Origin arena.
“If I was Kevvie, I’d be really keen for him to be playing without a doubt,” he said.
“All of a sudden over two series they’ve lost a lot of key position spine players, so there’s been a whole lot of change there.
“To get some stability in there would be good for them.”
Originally published as Craig Bellamy gives Cameron Smith his blessing for Maroons return
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