Despite concerns, Melbourne skipper Cameron Smith is willing to lockdown in Sydney
Melbourne skipper Cameron Smith has agreed to head to Sydney for the remainder of the season if that is what it takes to get the NRL running again.
Storm
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Melbourne skipper Cameron Smith has guaranteed his availability for the restart of the NRL season, even if it means living out of a Storm ‘bubble’ somewhere in Sydney.
Only weeks after the Kangaroo great questioned players being placed in quarantine for extended periods to restart the season, Storm CEO Dave Donaghy has confirmed Smith will be donning the No.9 jersey whenever the season kicks off again.
Earlier this month, the 36-year-old Storm skipper, whose opinion carries plenty of weight, said he wasn’t sure if housing interstate teams away from families was “the right thing to do”.
Yet asked on Tuesday if the future Immortal, and father of three young children, was definitely on board given his quarantining concerns, Storm CEO Donaghy said: “He will be there”.
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The Melbourne boss added that while Storm remained hopeful of preparing out of AAMI Park for the proposed return on May 28, they were still assessing alternative base options in Sydney and on the NSW-Victorian border.
“Our hope and preference is to be based at AAMI Park,” Donaghy said.
“But we’re still assessing options, both in Sydney and on the border.
“We then have to send a report to the NSW Government and NRL.”
Earlier this month, Smith questioned if players would cope mentally if placed inside proposed NRL bubbles.
The Melbourne No.9 added that he would be reluctant to leave his young family for a Sydney base, despite the fact 2020 could be the last season of what has been a stellar career.
“It’s not just the players, you’re asking coach staff as well,” Smith told News Corp recently.
“They all have families.
“When these things are tossed up, the first thing that is forgotten about is the families.
“You are leaving behind your family and that is a really tough thing to ask.
“The day you sign your contract to play NRL there are a lot of things you are bound to and obligations.
“But there was never an obligation to go to an isolated environment away from your family for four months to play.
“I am not saying I am not going to do it, I am not saying it is the wrong thing to do, I just think we really need to think carefully about what the next step is to go back to playing footy.
“I am not saying I am speaking on behalf of everyone but I am sure there would be a lot of players who would share the same view as me, that being put into a camp-style environment, I am just not sure whether that is the right thing to do.”