Penrith hooker Api Koroisau wants to spoil Cameron Smith’s party

Penrith hooker Api Koroisau, the man ready to spoil Cameron Smith’s party, is a fan of the Melbourne hooker.

Cam Smith is chaired from the field after what could be his last game at Suncorp

Api Koroisau has one eye on Cameron Smith and another on his jersey. As Smith prepares to draw the curtain on one of the great careers — in the eyes of some, possibly the greatest — Penrith hooker Koroisau hasn’t ruled out asking for a souvenir once Sunday night’s grand final is out of the way.

“If we win, I’ll take his jersey,” Koroisau quipped. “I’m a big fan of Cameron. Coming in to play against the greatest No 9 to play the game, it’s obviously a great challenge.

“He’s obviously been an idol of mine growing up. I love playing footy against the greats.”

Smith’s future has been a source of mystery and debate for weeks. Nothing is expected to change in the lead-up to the grand final.

Smith insists no announcement will be made, although there was a sense of closure about the way he departed Suncorp Stadium on the shoulder of vice-captains Dale Finuncane and Jess Bromwich.

Melbourne officials say it was a spur-of-the-moment decision that had little to do with Smith. It only occurred after coach Craig Bellamy approached head of football Frank Ponissi on the field and said something needed to be done to honour the skipper given there was every chance it could be his last game at the ground.

Bellamy then sought out Smith while Ponissi found the vice-captains. By the time Ponissi returned with Finucane and Bromwhich in tow, Smith didn’t really have a choice. So the mystery continues as we head to ANZ Stadium.

If he is to leave the game at the conclusion of Sunday night, he will do so on the game’s greatest stage. Koroisau is intent on spoiling the party, although at the same time he acknowledges the impact and influence Smith has had on the game over nearly two decades at the top level.

“I don’t watch too much rugby league,” Koroisau said. “When I see highlights it’s pretty amazing to see what he can do. He’s even had those combos with Cooper Cronk and Billy Slater in the past that have been unstoppable.

“He’s still carrying himself well at this age, it’s pretty impressive to see. I started watching a few games when I was in 20s. Even now I still don’t watch footy.

“I knew who Cameron Smith was obviously, he’s one of the best in the game even when he was young.”

Asked whether he had attempted to add some of Smiths’ traits to his game, Koroisau said: “It’s pretty hard to take something from Cameron Smith. He’s not a running hooker, he’s more like an IQ player. It’s hard to take things from his game because he’s so natural.

“It’s hard to emulate what he does because he’s so special. I try to do the best that I can and pick what I can from everyone. It’s pretty special watching Cameron Smith.”

It’s a view no doubt shared by all the Penrith players. Many have grown up watching and admiring the Storm maestro. Smith has played more than 40 finals games in his career. To put that in perspective, a handful of Penrith players are yet to play that many NRL games in their careers thus far.

He has been a rugby league colossus and he more than any other stands between Penrith and a fairytale premiership.

“He’s done so much in the game it would be hard for anyone to catch him and the legacy he’s left behind,” Koroisau said.

Smith and the Storm will be based on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast until Saturday before flying to Sydney to finalise their preparations for the decider.

They will prepare under strict provisions governing what they can and can’t do once they touch down. There will be further limits placed on both teams on Sunday night around celebrations on the field and in the dressing rooms.

“The reality is there is going to be some very excited people who are going to want to celebrate,” biosecurity expert associate professor David Heslop said.

“So we have had to look at that carefully and try to make sure that we’re not creating a situation where there could be a bad outcome from a COVID perspective.

“The winning team is going to want to celebrate and we have to think about State of Origin flowing on after that. For those guys not going on into State of Origin after they leave the stadium — and they have had heir medical clearance — they are out of the bubble at that point.

“It is a grand reordering of people in their new roles at the end of the grand final for the two teams. So in terms of those post-game celebrations or events, we’re limiting what happens in the dressing room and so on.

“What we don’t want is random people who could have been in a risk area ... coming in and spoiling a State of Origin run for one of the players for example. I would love the normal celebrations, but we are in a different world now.”