Smith 400
I loved as Smithy scored and the cameras showed Bellamy in the box screaming, "No! Nooooo!"yourhero wrote: ↑Mon Aug 05, 2019 10:33 amOn a lighter note, Smith was subbed with 13 minutes to go against Brisbane after scoring his 45th career try, just one behind the 46 that Bellamy scored in his career. Was that the reason the coach benched him?
"Yeah, that was one of the reasons," Bellamy grinned.
"He’s getting close. I was horrified that he scored that try tonight … that will be probably his most treasured record if he gets me I reckon. I am sure he is going to get me sooner or later and that is a bit of a running joke in our team at the moment."
So Smithy currently sits on 421 NRL games played. A monumental achievement by anyones reckoning. Assuming he can dodge injury for the rest of this year (touch wood) and he plays in all available games (including a PF), he should finish 2020 with ~433 games.
I hope he plays next year and cracks the 450, but let's assume for a moment that he doesn't and 2020 is his final year... Who is a legitimate chance of getting near that games played mark?
Darius Boyd is the closest still active player with 327 games... but Boyd retires at the end of 2020. He will be ~100 games short.
Adam Blair is currently on 321... but he has been told by the Warriors that he is unwanted for next year. He may pick up a new NRL deal elsewhere, but I don't see him playing the needed 4 FULL years (injury free) to get close.
Benji Marshall is currently on 314... Apparently is unwanted by the Tigers for 2021. He may pick up a new NRL deal elsewhere, but again, I don't see him playing the needed 5 FULL years (injury free) to get close.
Gavin Cooper, Mitchell Aubusson, Josh Morris, Michael Jennings - All around the 300 game mark. All don't have a realistic shot IMO. The first three all likely finish this year. I don't see Jennings playing for many more years.
Realistically there is only two players that could get close, and it has looked that way for some time;
- Mitchell Pearce (31yo) - currently on 286 games
- Jarrod Croker (29yo) - currently on 267 games
Mitchell Pearce would have to play 6 more full years injury free (until end of 2026) - He would be 37yo.
Jarrod Croker would have to play 7 more full years injury free (until end of 2027) - He would be 37yo.
It is possible that Smith gets run down, although probably unlikely.
I hope he plays next year and cracks the 450, but let's assume for a moment that he doesn't and 2020 is his final year... Who is a legitimate chance of getting near that games played mark?
Darius Boyd is the closest still active player with 327 games... but Boyd retires at the end of 2020. He will be ~100 games short.
Adam Blair is currently on 321... but he has been told by the Warriors that he is unwanted for next year. He may pick up a new NRL deal elsewhere, but I don't see him playing the needed 4 FULL years (injury free) to get close.
Benji Marshall is currently on 314... Apparently is unwanted by the Tigers for 2021. He may pick up a new NRL deal elsewhere, but again, I don't see him playing the needed 5 FULL years (injury free) to get close.
Gavin Cooper, Mitchell Aubusson, Josh Morris, Michael Jennings - All around the 300 game mark. All don't have a realistic shot IMO. The first three all likely finish this year. I don't see Jennings playing for many more years.
Realistically there is only two players that could get close, and it has looked that way for some time;
- Mitchell Pearce (31yo) - currently on 286 games
- Jarrod Croker (29yo) - currently on 267 games
Mitchell Pearce would have to play 6 more full years injury free (until end of 2026) - He would be 37yo.
Jarrod Croker would have to play 7 more full years injury free (until end of 2027) - He would be 37yo.
It is possible that Smith gets run down, although probably unlikely.
Despite the end of his NRL career approaching, Badger was in fine form on Friday morning when he went on the Big Sports Breakfast to talk about his career highlights.
It was there he was asked what it was like to referee Smith, revealing how the Storm skipper makes it look as if he’s the “extra ref”.
“He cops a lot Cameron, but the reason why he was captain of Australia, Queensland and so respected by people who play with him is because he’s such a professional,” Badger explained.
“As a captain he knows when he can approach a referee. Other captains come at the wrong time and get told go away.
“Cameron never gets told to go away, because he knows when he can and can’t do it.
“He knows how to say things and what to say. He doesn’t go over the line, he never gets turned away because he’s too aggressive or uses language.
“And because he’s so good at what he does, it looks like he’s manipulating or getting away with more than anyone else but what he does is he is just professional, he’s the ultimate professional.
“He gets a bad rap, it’s a running joke that he’s the extra ref on the field.”
I would like everyone in the NSW media be issued with this. This is from a referee not made up rubbish.
It was there he was asked what it was like to referee Smith, revealing how the Storm skipper makes it look as if he’s the “extra ref”.
“He cops a lot Cameron, but the reason why he was captain of Australia, Queensland and so respected by people who play with him is because he’s such a professional,” Badger explained.
“As a captain he knows when he can approach a referee. Other captains come at the wrong time and get told go away.
“Cameron never gets told to go away, because he knows when he can and can’t do it.
“He knows how to say things and what to say. He doesn’t go over the line, he never gets turned away because he’s too aggressive or uses language.
“And because he’s so good at what he does, it looks like he’s manipulating or getting away with more than anyone else but what he does is he is just professional, he’s the ultimate professional.
“He gets a bad rap, it’s a running joke that he’s the extra ref on the field.”
I would like everyone in the NSW media be issued with this. This is from a referee not made up rubbish.
I never understand the clubs (not ours) with who they choose as captains. Yes, there's a lot of the medja stuff and there's on field leadership but, in Rugby League (and Union), way more than AFL, the ability to communicate with the referee is the single most important aspect of their role. Some of the numpty's from other teams in the way they approach the ref is a dead set embarrassment. I think the biter (sorry - James Graham) was, after Smithy, one of the best.