Cameron Smith says the current Melbourne squad is the best Storm side in years

THEY made the preliminary final last season but Cameron Smith says the current Storm squad is the best the club has seen in some time.

The Storm have won six in a row.

MELBOURNE Storm played in a preliminary final last September but skipper Cameron Smith believes this year’s squad is the club’s strongest in a few years.

Storm, which boasts an impressive 10-2 win-loss record, surged to the top of the NRL ladder with a typically gritty 24-6 win over Penrith at AAMI Park on Saturday night.

It has done so despite the fact its backline has been cobbled together for most of the season on the back of an outside backs shortage.

Statistically, Storm is the competition’s best defensive side and its forward pack has been terrorising opposition sides.

Smith said there was plenty to build on in the second half of the season with his side well placed for a premiership assault.

“Sometimes ladder position doesn’t reflect the effort your team puts in, but our effort and attitude has not been an issue this season and that’s our entire squad,” Smith said.

“As far as the squad as a whole, it is probably the best group we’ve had in a few years.”

Smith and halfback Cooper Cronk played on Saturday night, three days after the State of Origin opener in Sydney.

Cronk defied the odds to play in Game 1 with a bung ankle and also starred for Storm against the Panthers, with a try and three try assists.

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“I think the one thing about your rep players, you want to do everything possible to represent your state, but also as leaders you’ve got a responsibility to set a good example for the rest of your players and I think they get a bit of a kick out of it,” Cronk told Fox Sports.

“So, anytime I can play football I’ll be putting my hand up.”

Smith echoed the thoughts of Cronk after also playing 80 minutes for Melbourne against Penrith.

“I think we pride ourselves on making ourselves available for the club,” Smith said.

The Storm were too good again against the Panthers.

“The easy option is not play and rest, but we put a lot of time and effort into what we’re trying to do as a club.”

Storm next face the Roosters at Allianz Stadium on Saturday night.

It will be looking for its seventh consecutive win, but coach Craig Bellamy said he was far from satisfied.

“It’s nice to have this amount of wins at this stage of the season coming into Origin, but having said we don’t think we can afford a few losses now,” Bellamy said.

Originally published as Cameron Smith says the current Melbourne squad is the best Storm side in years