Inside Mudgeeraba Redbacks viral photo with Cameron Smith at Firth Park

Cameron Smith is keeping the rugby league world waiting over news about his NRL future but one Mudgeeraba man has got a rare insight into what the footy great has planned. READ THE FULL REPORT

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MUDGEERABA Redbacks player welfare officer Savili Sega didn’t think much of it when he spotted two guys kicking around on Firth Park as he arrived to open the club early on Tuesday morning.

By Tuesday evening he was a viral sensation trending on every social media platform.

He had bumped into Cameron Smith, and their photo together was the biggest tease yet that the former Origin great wasn’t done with football.

The latest news comes as the Bulletin continues its Get Cam to the Titans campaign, with more than 80 per cent of Titans fans wanting the club to sign Smith.

“I saw these two guys out on the fields so I walked out to check if they were okay or if they needed anything,” Sega said.

“I didn’t realise it was Smith at the time. I walked away and thought he looked familiar, so I turned around and went back and saw it was him.

“I asked if it was okay to have a photo and told him we had a spot for him at the Redbacks and he laughed.”

Smith had a collection of around a dozen footballs and was practising his passing and kicking with a younger man Sega believed to be his son.

It was far from a picture of Smith signing on the dotted line for the Gold Coast Titans but for a fandom desperate for any hint on what the future may bring, it was enough to get tongues wagging.

Within 24 hours of releasing the photo Mudgeeraba had 48 juniors sign on to play for the club in 2021.

Sega was hopeful Smith would sign on with the Titans but has a back-up plan in mind should the 37-year-old instead call time on his NRL career.

“If he’s going to be local in the area I’d love to see him help out the local clubs,” he said.

“There’s a club in the southern Gold Coast, who wear red and black, that it would be great if he signs with.

“He didn’t have a beer belly, he looked really good. I was just blessed I was able to get a photo and he was happy to do that with me.”

TITANS CEO ADDRESSES SMITH RUMOURS

TITANS CEO Steve Mitchell says the club is no closer to signing Cameron Smith, three weeks out from the start of the NRL season.

Mitchell said Gold Coast hadn’t had discussions with Smith about playing with the Titans in 2021, despite the Bulletin’s ‘Get Cam to the Titans’ campaign revealing 90 per cent of fans wanted the hooker at the club.

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“Retention and recruitment is something we don’t comment on but we haven’t had any discussions,” Mitchell said.

“The season is three weeks away. It’s never been looked at as an option.”

Mitchell said he understood the media hype around the Melbourne Storm captain who recently moved to the Gold Coast with his family.

“In really good intent the media speculation around Cam coming to the club has been a wonderful PR (public relations) campaign for us,” Mitchell said.

GRAND FINAL

“We have had media exposure that you cannot buy. The population, our fan base and the media are excited about the future for us and the speculation is endearing so we need to be grateful.”

Meanwhile, the Gold Coast Titans will continue to call Cbus Super Stadium home, with the NRL announcing a long-term agreement with Stadiums Queensland.

Titans CEO Steve Mitchell said it was a statement of the club’s commitment to its home on the Gold Coast.

“Before a ball has even been kicked in 2021, we’ve already secured our long term future on the Coast,” Mitchell said.

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“We are somewhat spoilt to play at Cbus Super Stadium, with the venue still one of the premier rugby league facilities in the country.

“The new partnership has options that could take us out until the next NRL broadcast cycle which finishes in 2027.

“We want to be playing home finals footy and we want to bring the NRL Premiership trophy back to Cbus Super Stadium.

Cameron Munster of the Storm and Cameron Smith of the Storm pose with the Premiership trophy after winning the 2020 NRL Grand Final match between the Penrith Panthers and the Melbourne Storm at ANZ Stadium on October 25, 2020 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

“I want to thank Stadiums Queensland, particularly Cbus Super Stadium Manager Kristian Blundell for his proactive and conciliatory efforts to bring this new deal to life, especially while dealing with the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Cbus Super Stadium Manager Kristian Blundell said stadium management was pleased to continue the strong relationship with the team.

“We’ve been partners with the club since the birth of the Titans and are very pleased they will continue to call Cbus Super Stadium home,” Blundell said

“The team had a fantastic season last year and we’re really looking forward to the stadium becoming a fortress for the Titans in seasons to come.”