Cam Smith takes game to another level
Posted: Mon May 16, 2011 2:08 pm
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/nrl/c ... 6056283154Cameron Smith takes game to another level
MELBOURNE Storm skipper Cameron Smith deserves the most rest this week but won't get it as he's due in Queensland camp to prepare for next Wednesday's State of Origin opener.
Despite the defeat Storm still goes into its first break with a 7-3 win-loss record, better than many pundits predicted and possibly than coach Craig Bellamy could have hoped.
Much of that success has come on the back of Smith's imposing workload, which some have suggested has taken his already impeccable game to another level this season.
In his 11 matches, including a test for Australia, Smith has had 1175 possessions and made 502 tackles.
And in his three games in the past week, including two in 24 hours last weekend, Smith has played 220 minutes and made 159 tackles. That's half an entire team's workload in any given match.
Smith has made 212 more tackles than any of his Melbourne teammates and leads the NRL ahead of former Storm tackling machine Dallas Johnson.
The Storm skipper was at his imposing best against the Raiders. Sensing his team was flat he took it upon himself to get the ball moving and he dragged his side back in to the contest after it was down by 12 points in the first 15 minutes.
Storm levelled the scores but couldn't stop the late Raiders push despite Smith's best effort.
Former Storm prop Brett White played for Canberra on Saturday night and said Smith simply did what the best players do.
"Thats what true professionals and great leaders do. They've got the ability to, in tough times, take it up another level.
"Thats the quality of player he is. It's what's expected and it's what gets delivered."
Storm coach Craig Bellamy said the amount of work his skipper got through was "outstanding".
"Some guys don't make 100 tackles in a season. It's hard to put in words how valuable he is to our place and any team he plays with," Bellamy said.
Smith conceded some of the players may have fatigued at the end of Saturday's match, but only because of that night's early workload, and his own big week.
"I dont think the boys that played rep footy were feeling fatigued, we had a break and were feeling pretty good," he said.
"I just thought the whole team was out of petrol at the end."
The other contributor to Storm's flat showing could have been because of some bad news from a heart-and-soul member of the playing group.
It's believed out-of-contract forward Adam Blair has told the club he won't be at Melbourne next season with an announcement about his new home likely this week.
Meanwhile, no Storm player was named in NSW's State-of-Origin squad.
Canberra Raiders star Josh Dugan has won the race for the NSW fullback spot, ousting Jarryd Hayne for the opening match in Brisbane.
Hayne has missed the team altogether, with Brett Morris and Akuila Uate preferred on the wings.
Penrith centre Michael Jennings is a surprise inclusion at centre, with Australian debutant Jamal Idris a shock omission, overlooked by new coach Ricky Stuart entirely.
St George Illawarra five-eighth Jamie Soward will make his Origin debut - one of seven Dragons players picked in the squad.
- with AAP
Undoubtably the greatest 9 whos ever played the game and is nearly up there with Wally, Locky, Joey and Ellery as the best footballers Ive seen.
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