Melbourne Storm great Cameron Smith tipped for potential shift to halfback
An unprecedented injury could force Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy to make a team change which has not been implemented since 2014.
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During his 19-year NRL career, Melbourne Storm captain Cameron Smith has only started seven matches in the halfback position, but may be required to put on the No. 7 jersey next weekend.
Jahrome Hughes suffered a hand injury during the Storm’s 22-8 victory over the South Sydney Rabbitohs on Friday and will be sidelined for at least two weeks.
While discussing a potential replacement for the halfback position, Storm coach Craig Bellamy identified Smith as a possible replacement. The Melbourne veteran has not started an NRL match at halfback since 2014.
“We’ve got to make a bit of a decision there … Obviously we could put Cameron back there,” Bellamy told ABC Grandstand.
“We wouldn’t play Cameron there the whole game. Whether we started with it or we did it a bit later in the game, I’m not quite sure. It’s been mentioned before by other people.
“I’ve always been hesitant to move him from dummy half where he has been the best dummy half for a long time.
“You don’t want to weaken one position. We’ll do what we think I best for the team.”
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Substitute Brandon Smith would replace his skipper in the hooker position is the change is made.
Newcastle Knights legend Andrew Johns called for Smith to slide into the halfback position, predicting it would strengthen the Storm’s offensive playmaking.
“The Storm have had this really robotic structured style over the years which has worked so well because they’re so well drilled,” Johns told Wide World of Sports’ Immortal Behaviour.
“When (Cooper) Cronk left, but even when he was still there, they haven’t had one of those really natural halves who looks up and plays what they see, they’ve really relied on their structure.
“Now with the quicker ruck, I thought last week they tried to rely on their structured play too much.
“No one plays better looking up and scanning the defence and playing what he sees than Cameron Smith.
“We’ve seen Cameron do it on the field when he plays dummy half and sometimes he gets out and plays first-receiver and he’s so dangerous because he’s such a freakishly skilled player.”
Friday’s victory over the Rabbitohs pushed the Storm up to fourth spot on the NRL ladder.
They will next face the Newcastle Knights at Central Coast Stadium on June 13th.
Knights coach Adam O’Brien has previously worked alongside Bellamy, and the duo will face off as opposing coaches for the first time next weekend.
“(O’Brien) is a very good coach,” Bellamy said.
“He has done his time. His personality has rubbed off on Newcastle and we saw that last week. They were very gritty under some difficult circumstances when they had a few injuries early in the game.
“He is one of those guys that can be a bit cranky. He always gets on well with people. He’ll have a long and successful career.”
Originally published as Melbourne Storm great Cameron Smith tipped for potential shift to halfback