NRL: What will Melbourne do with Cameron Smith?

A major change is being mooted for Cameron Smith but there’s a chance the Storm legend will put his foot down and refuse to play ball.

Cameron Smith may be forced into a positional switch because of Cameron Munster’s injury.

Cameron Smith is the best hooker rugby league has ever seen but there’s speculation he may be shifted to halfback to cover for Melbourne’s injury woes after five-eighth Cameron Munster was ruled out for several weeks with a knee problem.

There were murmurs around the Storm during the off-season Smith may spend time in the No. 7 jersey in 2020 and he found himself in the halves during last week’s 50-6 win over the Warriors after Munster hurt his medial ligament.

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Rugby league pundits have weighed in on whether a positional reshuffle might see Smith slide into first receiver for tonight’s blockbuster against the Roosters, which would also result in several teammates being shifted around.

If the former Queensland captain plays halfback, back-up hooker Brandon Smith, the Kiwi Test No. 9, could start at dummy-half. Last week’s halfback Jahrome Hughes could move to five-eighth, and Ryley Jacks — who was wearing the No. 7 earlier in the season — could be included on the bench as a utility.

At least, that’s how Penrith great Mark Geyer sees it.

“I really think that Cameron Smith will play a lot at No. 7,” he said on Triple M’s Rush Hour with MG. “I think that when Brandon Smith comes on the field, if he doesn’t start the game that way, I think that Ryley Jacks might be the replacement for Brandon Smith (on the bench) and then you’ll see Jahrome Hughes go to five-eighth.

“Cam Smith at halfback and you’ll see Brandon Smith at hooker.”

Storm coach Craig Bellamy has said he has the option of moving Smith to halfback if need be, but Geyer thinks the Melbourne mentor will play the waiting game before making that call.

“I don’t think Bellamy will do that,” Geyer said. “I think he’ll start with Cam Smith at dummy-half, he’ll see how the game’s going after the first 20 minutes, he’ll get a feel for the game and I think he’ll make changes accordingly.”

Former Queensland five-eighth Ben Ikin is pushing for Smith to play halfback — not just for team balance this week, but because of the long-term benefits for the Storm.

Melbourne loaned young gun hooker Harry Grant to the Wests Tigers this season. Had he stayed in Victoria, he would not be playing because he’d be stuck behind Smith, who plays 80 minutes every week. This way, the Storm are happy because the 22-year-old is gaining valuable experience in first grade, which will make him an even better player when he returns.

Cameron Smith may need to change out of his favoured No. 9 jersey.

However, there’s reportedly a clause in Grant’s contract that allows him to sign elsewhere if Smith plays on in 2021. The rake has been the find of the season and is already being talked about as a possible Maroons bolter in State of Origin this year, such is his form.

By shifting Smith to halfback Ikin believes that leaves the door open for the 37-year-old to play into next year, while also allowing for Grant to return as the club’s first-choice hooker because he won’t be stuck behind anyone in the pecking order.

Brandon Smith might have something to say about that, but he can also play in the back-row should Melbourne’s decision-makers deem Grant a better fit at hooker.

“Cameron Smith was great last week at No. 7,” Ikin said on NRL 360 last night.

“I think that Brandon Smith goes better at No. 9 than Jahrome Hughes or Ryley Jacks goes at No. 7.

“If you put Cameron Smith at No. 7 this year, there is every chance the young bloke at the Wests Tigers (Grant) who is playing out of his skin would feel very comfortable coming back and playing No. 9 next year and Cameron Smith remaining at No. 7.

“I would be telling Cameron Smith to play halfback for the rest of his career.”

However, Ikin’s NRL 360 co-host Paul Kent believes it’s not that simple, suggesting Smith may not even want to play halfback.

“It went around the game last year that Cameron Smith might be moving to halfback because they lost Cooper Cronk and they needed a halfback,” Kent said.

“It went around that Smith was going to play there and Brandon Smith, the Kiwi Test hooker, would play No. 9 as a natural fit. It made sense.

“Then it went around that Cameron didn’t want to play halfback and so the Storm said, ‘No it has never been discussed’ and Cameron is going to play No. 9.”