NRL 2020: Cameron Smith questioned over retirement decision after Storm’s thrilling win

An NRL thriller that went down to the wire hasn’t been able to save Cameron Smith even more questions about the decision on his future.

Melbourne's Cameron Smith celebrates a try by Melbourne's Tino Faasuamaleaui.

The Cameron Smith retirement speculation is set for another week after the Storm skipper admitted he’s still no closer to making a decision.

Speaking after his side’s dramatic 22-16 comeback win over the South Sydney Rabbitohs, Smith admitted there’s “no new news” after another week of intrigue.

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Smith, arguably the greatest player of all-time, has been a hot topic of discussion. On NRL 360 on Monday, there was debate between the panellists about whether Smith should go so the club can retain talented back-up hookers Harry Grant and Brandon Smith, or whether he had earned the right to choose when to pull the pin on his career.

Reports also emerged that Craig Bellamy had asked Smith what he was planning to do, with no firm answer, while the Storm board was also looking for answers.

Bellamy even revealed he believed the 37-year-old Smith would be an “ideal representative coach, like the Origin coaches who do three games a year or the Australian side who don’t play that many games”.

Earlier on Friday, the Courier Mail released a report that had social media buzzing, reporting the Melbourne Storm were bracing for Smith to announce his retirement.

Storm boss Matt Tripp also denied a deadline had been placed on Smith but believes he will draw his decorated career to a close.

Cameron Smith has spoken on the retirement rumours again.

But the man himself could still not confirm or deny anything.

“Obviously I’m a bit closer — every day that goes by I’m a bit closer, aren’t I, whenever that decision is going to be made,” Smith smiled in a post-game interview on Friday night. “From last week to today, there’s no new news.

“All I’ve been concentrating on and focusing on is my role in this footy side. As I said, we’re doing some really good stuff around the team at the moment and we’ve got a fair bit of confidence around our style of footy and what we’re doing on the footy field.

“At the moment, there’s no decision unfortunately.

“I know everyone’s waiting on it and I said last week that I want to make a decision as soon as I can both for myself and for my family and also for the Melbourne Storm. I know the club are waiting as well.

“They’ve all been great to be fair, Craig and (Storm football manager) Frank Ponissi in Melbourne. The board and the administration have been great and given me my space and allowed me to just worry about footy. And at the end of the day, that’s the most important thing.”

Asked if a premiership would sway the NRL legend, Smith said “it would play a huge part” but said it was what everyone who comes through the door each pre-season strives for.

Once again, Bellamy was asked about Smith’s decision and he admitted the Storm skipper “was finding it hard to make a decision”.

“At the end of the day, he deserves to have the time that he wants,” he said. “You’d like to think he was getting close and the club would ideal like to have decision but I can’t put any pressure on him.

“With our salary cap, we’ve got a plan if he plays, we’ve got a plan if he doesn’t play. As I said, for me, what he’s done for our club and what he’s done for the game in general, I think he deserves to decide in his own time.

“When he’s ready to make his decision he will and I’ll support him 100 per cent in whatever that decision is.”

Bellamy said he also had no doubt that Smith could play again.

Retirement rumours have swirled despite him still being one of the best players in the game.

The retirement talk overshadowed a thriller in the wet with the Storm coming from 14-6 down to overwhelm the Rabbitohs in the second half.

A Justin Olam try just before the break brought it back to 14-10 and the Storm ground out the victory with Souths unable to break the Victorian side’s steely defence in the second half.

It took until the 65th minute for the Storm to seal the result with Cameron Munster bursting over the line.

The loss ended a five-game winning streak for the Rabbitohs, while the Storm have opened up a four point gap to the Eels in third with the gutsy win.