Cameron Smith’s father reveals key factor in NRL legend’s decision on future
Cameron Smith’s father has revealed the key factor playing on the mind of his son as he ‘agonises’ over whether to play on or retire.
NRL
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Cameron Smith’s father says his son is “agonising” over whether to play on as premiers Melbourne officially moved on from their champion skipper by naming new captains for the 2021 season.
Wayne Smith has revealed the former Queensland Origin captain is weighing up the toll a 20th consecutive NRL campaign would have on his family as the Broncos put out the welcome mat for Smith to join Brisbane this season.
After four months of uncertainty, Melbourne on Friday appointed new co-captains to replace Smith in Jesse Bromwich and Dale Finucane, the most compelling evidence yet the Storm are embarking on a new era without the 430-game icon.
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The Broncos and Titans are ostensibly the only options left for Smith, who is expected to finalise his future within the week, and one of his most trusted figures says the classy hooker is torn over the prospect of retirement.
“The longer it goes, the more he seems to be agonising about playing again,” Wayne Smith said. “He won’t be going back to Melbourne, I know that much, if he decides to play on.
“Cam is agonising over the decision, he is weighing up what is best for the family and best for him. He has a lot to consider. He will be 38 this year, does he want to get bashed up again this year at that age?
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“Cam wants to make a decision without emotion. The reason he doesn’t take people’s calls is because he doesn’t want to be swayed by emotion or other people’s thoughts and all that white noise around him.
“The whole decision will be about the impact on his family (if he plays on).”
Brisbane coach Kevin Walters wants to sign Smith and the Broncos are so keen chairman Karl Morris has offered to “send a limousine” to the 37-year-old’s Gold Coast home to pick him up and bring him to Red Hill.
Titans culture boss Mal Meninga insists he has had no talks with Smith, but Gold Coast will consider tabling a deal if the Storm legend declares he is shelving retirement and playing on.
The one certainty is Smith’s decorated 19-season career at the Storm is over. While Bellamy is adamant he has no idea if Smith is retiring, the Storm super coach said Melbourne had to look to the future with new leaders.
“I spoke to Cameron (on Friday morning) and we didn’t even talk about it (his future),” he said. “We just talked about family and how he is settling in to his new surroundings (on the Gold Coast).
“As I have said a million times, Cameron deserves as much time as he needs to make a decision and then make an announcement and we will back him all the way.”
The Broncos have two spots left in their 30-man roster. One is set to be filled by Wests Tigers utility Billy Walters, leaving one final spot ... possibly for Smith.
Speculation suggested Smith could arrive at the Broncos at the end of March with a view to playing in April, which would mean Brisbane would only have to pay seven months’ wages under the salary cap.
Smith senior said his son would face a difficult choice between the Broncos and Titans if he chose to play on.
“It would be hard for him to decide between the Broncos and Titans,” he said.
“He was coached by both Mal and ‘Kevvie’ (Walters) during his Origin career, so he has links to both clubs through them.
“The reason I thought he might retire last year was because of the impact on his family. He has been away from his family a lot over the years and being stuck in the bubble last year with COVID really hit home about what he was missing out on with his family.”
Gold Coast co-owner Darryl Kelly doubts Smith will finish his career at the Titans.
“From what I understand no-one here has spoken to him,” he said.
“I know nothing. I’m in the dark about Cam Smith.
“If he wants to play on, I dare say he would approach Mal and then we would go through the appropriate processes.
“Do you really think he would play for anyone but Melbourne?
“I can’t see him in anything but a Melbourne Storm jumper.”
WHY IKIN IS TIPPIN SMITH ‘TO DO A TOM BRADY’
By Paul Crawley
Ben Ikin has backed Cameron Smith to follow in NFL superstar Tom Brady’s footsteps _ and not only turn out for Gold Coast this year but make the Titans instant and legitimate NRL title contenders.
On a day Titans’ head of performance and culture Mal Meninga was busy deflecting speculation surrounding Smith’s uncertain future, Ikin was having none of the retirement talk.
While Smith’s former Storm teammate Cooper Cronk thinks Smith would need big “cojones” to play against Melbourne, Ikin made a very compelling case as to why he thinks he won’t walk away.
“I think he will (play on),” Ikin said. “I think he is kind of doing a bit of recalibrating in terms of his family life.
“He has shifted his family to the Gold Coast and he knows he doesn’t need a full pre-season.
“We have seen the photos. We’ve heard the rumours. He is still in good nick. He is still kicking footballs. He could easily, with his footy IQ, drop into that Titans side and play as well in round one for the Gold Coast as he did in the grand final for the Storm.”
Ikin also reckons the fact Smith has made no announcement, not even to close friends, is also significant.
“I have some people who have come across Cameron privately in the last four to six weeks and his standard answer when they put it on him about playing at the Titans this year is just to giggle,” Ikin continued.
“And he has got it down pat.
“I reckon if he was ready to move on he would be at least saying something privately.
“But he is not even giving anything away privately which leads me to believe that he is every chance.”
Asked if he believed Smith would be ready to run out in round one, Ikin added: “I couldn’t see why not.
“It would be more interesting if his name just showed up on the team sheet in the lead up to round one on the Tuesday. Contract is registered on the Tuesday morning, team sheets come out on Tuesday afternoon.”
Brady competed one of world sport’s great fairy tales when he moved from New England to lead the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to this year’s Super Bowl.
And Ikin is confident the man rated arguably rugby league’s greatest ever could have a similar impact on the battling Titans.
“Yes. Absolutely,” Ikin said.
“Because great players have the capacity to lift everyone around them three to five per cent.
“I mean Andrew Johns, what he did for some of those players in that Newcastle Knights backline, they will be forever grateful to Joey. That is just what great players do.
“Cameron won’t just get the best out of his young playmakers. I mean, (Jamal) Fogarty and (Ash) Taylor had a good season last year but with Cameron inside them it takes off a stack of pressure and gives them more time and space.
“And we all see what he does with any forward pack he plays with … he just lifts an entire side.
“And we have had this discussion on NRL 360. You go back on Cameron’s career, you struggle to put two minutes of highlights together in 17 or 18 years because it is death by a thousand cuts with Cameron.
“It is all very subtle and cunning. Not everybody likes the way he does it but it works. It is effective.”
Smith’s old Melbourne teammate Cronk disagreed.
“It would take a hell of a lot of sacrifice or cojones to go out and play for the Titans after having achieved all that stuff at the Melbourne Storm,” Cronk said.
Cronk conceded “I don’t have any mail” on what Smith’s thinking but said his take was that Smith appeared “content” with all he had accomplished.
“And why wouldn’t he (be),” Cronk said.
“You’re arguably the greatest player who has ever played the game. You are content in life. He can go down to the Broadbeach Surf Club and have a beer and put his feet up and enjoy.
“If he wants to play on it is completely his choice. I am saying he can. He is physically able to. He finished top five in the Dally M last year. So everything says that he could play on. I am not saying he shouldn’t.
“But my personal opinion is I think he has retired.”
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