The games and moments that make Cameron Smith a Queensland State of Origin legend
CAMERON Smith has played his last game for Queensland, leaving a hole as great as any in State of Origin history. We look back at the moments and games that make him a Maroons great.
Blues
Don't miss out on the headlines from Blues. Followed categories will be added to My News.
THE cornerstone of Queensland’s decade-long era of utter dominance has worn the maroon jersey for the last time.
And he leaves one of the biggest holes in the game’s history.
NSW has spent nearly 15 years searching for a replacement for Andrew Johns at halfback, in seven decades Australia is yet to find a batsman fit to lace Bradman’s pads — and now Queensland will have the impossible task of filling Cameron Smith’s boots.
BOMBSHELL: Why Smith called it quits
WHAT NEXT? No hooker, no captain, no kicker....
REACTION: NSW rejoice over Smith retirement
Smith announced his shock retirement from all representative rugby league effective immediately, ending the career of arguably the greatest-ever Maroon.
Smith’s Queensland resume is something unlike any other in State of Origin history — and one which will never be matched.
The superstar hooker made his debut in game three of the 2003 series — naturally, it was a win for a man who tastes success far more than he’s ever had to confront failure.
The following year he was handed the hooking duties full-time and within two years he’d sparked an unprecedented run of eight-straight series wins.
Undoubtedly one of Queensland’s greatest ever players, Smith will be spoken of in the same breath as Wally Lewis, Johnathan Thurston and Darren Lockyer.
It’s hard to imagine a player has had a greater influence on the State of Origin concept.
He will walk away as Origin’s winningest player, with 27 victories to his name.
Long-time Maroons teammate, Johnathan Thurston, is the closest player to Smith’s record 42 appearances — but even the retired halfback is five games shy.
Only the King of Origin, Wally Lewis, trumps Smith when it comes to man-of-the-match awards — and even there the Storm star is only pipped eight to seven.
Smith has won the Wally Lewis medal - for player of the series - a record four times.
But Smith’s greatness is such that he’s often at his best on the field when you don’t notice him. Silently guiding his teammates around the park. Plugging holes in defence before you realise a hole was even there.
It means his greatest games can be devoid of a stunning try or bone-crunching tackle. It’s why his best moments can be melted down into one picture of Smith’s arms raised in victory.
But there are still five from his Maroons career which stand out from the rest.
SMITH’S TOP ORIGIN FIVE PERFORMANCES
SMITH’S BRILLIANT DEBUT
Dead rubber matches can typically be forgotten — except when they unearth one of the game’s greatest ever.
Cameron Smith stepped into the troublesome No.9 jersey, which had been occupied by PJ Marsh and Michael Crocker in games one and two, and Queensland never looked back.
As you’d expect, Smith had a blinder and Queensland roared to a record-equalling 36-6 victory.
Smith tackled his backside off — to the tune of 35 for the match — and, as he always has, played to the last minute by scoring a try late on.
As would become a feature in his career, Smith was named players’ player.
He was just 18 games into his NRL career.
MAN OF THE MATCH, MAN OF THE SERIES
Up until 2007, ANZ Stadium — then called Telstra Stadium — was a fortress for NSW. Queensland had never won at the venue.
That looked set to continue when NSW went ahead early through Brett Stewart, before Smith took over — producing an impossible pass, in traffic, to send Greg Inglis over in the corner to level the scores.
As the match turned into a grind, Smith was in his element, racking up 42 tackles to smother NSW’s attack in characteristic fashion.
“In games I’ve been involved with, that’s the gutsiest I’ve been in,” said Queensland legend Darren Lockyer.
Smith was named man of the match and later awarded the Wally Lewis medal as the man of the series.
Queensland’s dynasty was in full swing.
THE 2011 MASTERPIECE
Across a three-game series, Smith has not played better — winning man-of-the-match awards in Queensland’s two wins in the series, games one and three.
He was at his crafty best in game one, setting up Thurston with a grubber in the 5th minute to signal a tough night for the visitors at Suncorp.
But NSW would hit back with a two-try blitz late — forcing the Maroons to dig deep, and turn to their champions.
Smith shovelled the ball to Thurston, he went wide to Lockyer who turned it inside to Slater to score in the 73rd minute.
And that was that.
In the biggest moments, Smith was always involved.
SMITH DELIVERS ANOTHER SERIES
When you have the chance to end a series, you take it. While there’s something special about coming up big in do-or-die deciders, Smith is more inclined to ice a contest before you even have a sniff.
That’s what he did in 2016, producing a typically comprehensive man-of-the-match performance as Queensland won 26-16 to seal a series win.
Drilling kicks into NSW territory, pinning the Blues back on their line. Grubbers leaving opposition fullbacks vulnerable — and then pummelled back into their own in-goals for repeat sets.
These are your Origin bread and butter. And there was no one better than Cameron Smith at it.
And the dynasty rolls on.
THE PERFECT FAREWELL
Perhaps Smith’s finest game for the Maroons was ultimately his grand farewell: the deciding match of the 2017 series.
Smith had been quiet to in the opening two matches of the series, prompting questions about his future and whether he was no longer up to the high-octane intensity of the Origin cauldron.
He answered in the most emphatic way possible, with a masterclass that shredded NSW’s defence and set up a series-winning 22-6 win.
The veteran wound back the clock and found his running game again, surging out of dummy half to rack up 105 meters.
He set up tries, made line breaks and was typically everywhere in defence, making 37 tackles.
Throw in three sideline conversions and it was a true masterclass.
“His performance in game three of last year’s State of Origin series was one of the best I’ve seen from anyone at representative level,” said Maroons coach Kevin Walters.
LIVE stream every game of every round of the 2018 NRL Telstra Premiership on FOX SPORTS. Get your free 2-week Foxtel Now trial & start watching in minutes. SIGN UP NOW >