Charity begins at home for Jeremy Smith who will play for the Knights in 2013 after quitting the Sharks

JEREMY Smith said telling his Cronulla teammates he wanted out of the club was the toughest moment of his career.

JEREMY Smith said telling his Cronulla teammates he wanted out of the club was the toughest moment of his career.

Smith confirmed that a desire to be closer to his wife Jody's father in Newcastle forced him to quit Cronulla with one year left to run on his contract and sign a three-year deal with the Knights.

Smith said he did not want to leave the Sharks but had to put his wife first.

"My career had to be put second to my family," Smith said in his first interview since signing with the Knights.

 "I have three young kids now (Marley, Evie, and J.J.) and we are living in Wollongong with no family around.

"It was OK when we just had one kid, but with the birth of our son J.J. (Jeremy Junior) earlier this year, things became very hard.

"My wife needed help and needed family. We were pretty isolated and I spend a lot of time away with football. We have never had any family around and it became a problem and she struggled.

"In the end we needed to move to be closer to help.

"We told the club that we needed help and thankfully they listened."

Smith was given permission to negotiate with Newcastle and the Gold Coast, with the Test back-rower's parents based in southern Queensland and his wife's father living in Newcastle.

Despite denials by the Sharks, the approach was made mid-year and was not accepted until after the club had signed Luke Lewis.

"I didn't want to go and it was the hardest decision of my career," Smith said.

"But everything happens for a reason and I had to put my wife first. I will just be happy to get up there.

"The boys understood and knew it just had to be done. I would not have been able to concentrate 100 per cent on football if I was still around without help.

"I really enjoyed my time there and they are a great bunch of blokes. The fans were also really good to me and the club was building towards something special."

Smith admitted he was excited about playing under Wayne Bennett, who led him to a premiership with St George Illawarra in 2010.

"Wayne is the type of bloke that you want to be around," Smith said. "I do love playing under him."

Turning 33 in April, Smith said he would still be at his best in the final year of his three-year deal.

"I will definitely being going hard at the end of my contract," Smith said.

"I am getting older but just tell everyone I am 28. Seriously, my body is feeling as good as ever. I only started when I was 24 and that definitely helps."