Storm chief, coach slap down Brandon Smith over ‘p***-ups’ drama

Brandon Smith’s controversial podcast appearance continues to cause drama as bigwigs at Melbourne made their true feelings known.

Craig Bellamy has clipped Brandon Smith's comments. Photo: Getty

Melbourne Storm hooker Brandon Smith is seemingly in the doghouse after his extraordinary podcast interview late last month.

Among a serious of bombshells in the controversial chat, Smith said he wanted “to win a premiership” in a Roosters jersey.

But one of the more explosive comments was around the Storm’s “p***-up” culture, which placed the club in the spotlight.

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The Kiwi larrikin said the heavy drinking culture at the club helps build camaraderie.

“We have so many p***-ups and it’s no secret that p***-ups build relationships, there’s a reason I was getting p*** fit this whole time,” Smith said.

“Because you just start letting loose, you can talk and be yourself. At the Storm bro, drinking is a massive part of the culture.

“We had beer pong competition at my house and Scott Drinkwater, we were playing beer pong, Dale (Finucane) was blind, and Scott kept pouring vodka into his beer cups and he drank a bottle of vodka in 32 minutes, like a whole bottle and he was so p***ed.

“He doesn’t realise how strong he is, he grabs you and just manhandles you around and 20 minutes later he’s got his shoe and he’s spewing into his shoe.”

Wonder if Brandon’s learned his lesson?

Storm football manager Frank Ponissi fired back at Smith’s claims on Monday.

“The whole podcast I found disappointing but the drinking culture (comment) I found puzzling,” he said on 3AW’s Sportsday.

“In the last seven years we’ve made seven consecutive prelims, four minor premierships, four Grand Finals, two premierships and we won 19 games on the bounce this year.

“You don’t have those performances over a long period of time if you have a drinking culture. If you did, they’d suddenly be a lot of sporing teams in Australia that suddenly would adopt a drinking culture so I found those comments puzzling.

“It’s impossible and anyone that has any time of knowledge of physical performance and alcohol, they just don’t go together.”

The podcast drama saw reports emerge suggesting the Storm were attempting to ship Smith off to another club, like the Wests Tigers, for a season in a swap deal — a claim which Ponissi refuted.

“I can guarantee we didn’t approach any club (about swapping Smith),” he said. “In this position people think you’re vulnerable so you will get potentially other clubs contacting you.

“We just need a take a deep breath, it’s been a very disappointing week. We have to sit down with the players in person rather than over the phone or text.

“He’s a contracted player and he’ll be given an opportunity to show he really wants to be here.”

Bellamy and Ponissi are not happy. Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images

Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, Storm coach Craig Bellamy also addressed Smith’s comments — saying Melbourne’s success wouldn’t be possible if the side was drinking too much.

“The drinking thing … we’ve been in the top four seven years straight,” he said. “And that doesn’t happen if you’re a team of drunks.

“I’m not saying we’re teetotallers because we’re not but we stick to our protocols in regards to the drink. We plan to have our drinks when we have a longer turnaround.

“We’ll have a night out together but it’s always at the appropriate times.

“I’m confident we don’t have players drinking two, three or four days before a game. That wouldn’t be acceptable.”

Smith and Bellamy reportedly met briefly on Monday but the coach said he’d give his rake a chance to give his side of the story.

Smith is contracted to Melbourne for 2022 and is expected to join the Roosters next, but no formal announcement has yet been made.

Guessing Harry Grant will win the hooking battle this year.

Originally published as Storm chief, coach slap down Brandon Smith over ‘p***-ups’ drama