Test captain Cameron Smith chasing deal to make rugby league
Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2014 1:44 pm
Test captain Cameron Smith chasing deal to make rugby league history
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/ ... 6804955206
AUSTRALIAN Test captain Cameron Smith is chasing a four-year contract from 2015 that could see the Queensland star end his career as the most capped player in NRL and Origin history.
Smith, 30, is currently weighing up whether to return to Brisbane to finish his career or remain at Melbourne Storm where he would eventually retire as a one-club legend.
Arguably greatest hooker to play the game, he will return to Storm pre-season training on Monday with Melbourne officials sweating on a decision from Smith about if he will return to Queensland with his family in 2015 or extend his time in Victoria.
Smith took his family on an overseas holiday while they weighed up the biggest decision of his career with two clubs waiting in anticipation for his answer.
It is believed Smith has told Broncos and Storm officials he wants a four-year deal, which could see him play until he is35 and potentially surpass Darren Lockyer's 355 highest NRL games record.
Smith has played 261 NRL games and with another five years could easily break Lockyer's NRL record and almost certainly overtake Lockyer and Mal Meninga's 38-game Origin benchmarks too with his tally currently at 30.
While Smith has enormous earning potential in Brisbane - with marquee allowances and third party deals he could pocket up to $1.5 million per year - Melbourne have also made it clear they will not be beaten on price.
The Broncos have earmarked Smith as a priority signing for 2015 and while many believe the deal to be a foregone conclusion, there is a growing feeling that the Storm brotherhood with Cooper Cronk, Billy Slater and coach Craig Bellamy could be too tight to break and he will remain in Melbourne.
"Everyone goes through it at some stage of their career, just because it is 'Cam' it doesn't make it any different," Storm centre Will Chambers said yesterday.
"He has his own privacy and we just let him go about doing what is best for him and his family. At the end of the day no matter what you're always going to support him as a mate.
"There is no point trying to ask him and find out, he will tell everyone in due course."
The fact Smith wants to play for at least another five years is a huge boost to Queensland's Origin team, although his successor may already be in the system.
Roosters hooker Jake Friend is coming off a stellar season and yesterday joined 13 rising stars for Queensland's Emerging Origin camp in Brisbane.
Friend, 23, was a star of last year's premiership team and many consider him unlucky not to have been picked for the Kangaroos' World Cup tour.
The Roosters vice-captain could be invited into Origin camps in the future, even just as 18th man, as Maroons coach Mal Meninga begins to plan for generation next.
"That would be great to get any sort of Queensland Origin experience," Friend said.
"But in saying that I'm not in any rush. 'Cam' is probably one of the best players to ever go around so yeah I will just keep playing good footy and see what happens down the track."
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/ ... 6804955206
AUSTRALIAN Test captain Cameron Smith is chasing a four-year contract from 2015 that could see the Queensland star end his career as the most capped player in NRL and Origin history.
Smith, 30, is currently weighing up whether to return to Brisbane to finish his career or remain at Melbourne Storm where he would eventually retire as a one-club legend.
Arguably greatest hooker to play the game, he will return to Storm pre-season training on Monday with Melbourne officials sweating on a decision from Smith about if he will return to Queensland with his family in 2015 or extend his time in Victoria.
Smith took his family on an overseas holiday while they weighed up the biggest decision of his career with two clubs waiting in anticipation for his answer.
It is believed Smith has told Broncos and Storm officials he wants a four-year deal, which could see him play until he is35 and potentially surpass Darren Lockyer's 355 highest NRL games record.
Smith has played 261 NRL games and with another five years could easily break Lockyer's NRL record and almost certainly overtake Lockyer and Mal Meninga's 38-game Origin benchmarks too with his tally currently at 30.
While Smith has enormous earning potential in Brisbane - with marquee allowances and third party deals he could pocket up to $1.5 million per year - Melbourne have also made it clear they will not be beaten on price.
The Broncos have earmarked Smith as a priority signing for 2015 and while many believe the deal to be a foregone conclusion, there is a growing feeling that the Storm brotherhood with Cooper Cronk, Billy Slater and coach Craig Bellamy could be too tight to break and he will remain in Melbourne.
"Everyone goes through it at some stage of their career, just because it is 'Cam' it doesn't make it any different," Storm centre Will Chambers said yesterday.
"He has his own privacy and we just let him go about doing what is best for him and his family. At the end of the day no matter what you're always going to support him as a mate.
"There is no point trying to ask him and find out, he will tell everyone in due course."
The fact Smith wants to play for at least another five years is a huge boost to Queensland's Origin team, although his successor may already be in the system.
Roosters hooker Jake Friend is coming off a stellar season and yesterday joined 13 rising stars for Queensland's Emerging Origin camp in Brisbane.
Friend, 23, was a star of last year's premiership team and many consider him unlucky not to have been picked for the Kangaroos' World Cup tour.
The Roosters vice-captain could be invited into Origin camps in the future, even just as 18th man, as Maroons coach Mal Meninga begins to plan for generation next.
"That would be great to get any sort of Queensland Origin experience," Friend said.
"But in saying that I'm not in any rush. 'Cam' is probably one of the best players to ever go around so yeah I will just keep playing good footy and see what happens down the track."