No free ride for Cam's little brother

[Scooter]

Source: Herald Sun
Author: Russell Gould

QUESTIONS about being related to a famous sportstar are rare when your surname is Smith.

But when you go to Marsden State High School in Queensland and are captain of the school's rugby league team, everyone knows who you are.

That was the lot of Matthew Smith, younger brother of Melbourne Storm captain Cameron and a new addition to the club's under-20s squad.

The younger Smith, a hooker like his big brother, has been on a Storm scholarship since he was 15. He made the move to Melbourne this year after finishing school.

Matt lives with Cameron, but that's where the free ride stops because he is being made to earn everything he gets, and the older Smith says that's the way it should be.

"Everyone knew he was my brother in Queensland, so it is good for him to be in a different environment, where he is Matt Smith, his own person, and that's the way I want it to be. I don't want him to be known as Cam Smith's brother," Cameron said.

"Living at home, he sort of had everything served to him on a platter, particularly from Mum.

"But he has jobs around the house and he hasn't got his licence yet so he rides his bike from home to training and back, and it's 40 minutes each way, which shows his commitment.

"And no one here wants to give him any favours or go lightly on him because he's my brother. The coaches have spoken to me about that and Matt knows that. If the coaches do that, he is not going to get better and he won't be a first grade footballer."

And he's got what it takes to play NRL, according to Cam. It may not happen any time soon, but the Storm skipper said if his little brother did all the hard work required, they could one day pair-up in purple on the big arena.

"He is probably a little bit ahead of me physically at the same age. But he is working hard, and that's what is good about him. He always has a dig, and as long as he keeps improving each year, that's all anyone can ask," Cam said.

Matt's long-time high school coach, Grant Stephenson, shares that opinion and said the brothers, who trained together for the first time yesterday, shared the same football smarts.

"Like Cameron, he is just a natural footballer who makes the right decisions; and he is competitive too, despite being as laid-back as his brother off the field," Stephenson said.

"He'll just have to work on the physical side of things, but he will do that. And he is a kid who is happy to listen and learn, and if you are going to get better, Melbourne is the best place to do that."

[mystormboys]

Yep its a great article and photo.  Good full page coverage today.

[Himitsu Arashi]

Photo 

[Scooter]

In the paper itself there is a photo of Cameron running behind Matthew during a training drill.

[Fizer]

Similar story from the DT.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/ ... 5827405899

MEET the man who has Queensland and Melbourne Storm hooker Cameron Smith looking nervously over his shoulder - his younger brother Matthew.

Dubbed "Mini Me" by Storm colleagues, the 17-year-old hooker has been on scholarship since he was 15 and last month made a permanent move to Melbourne to chase his dream of a career in the NRL.A Logan Brothers junior, Matt Smith attended Marsden State High, the school that has a string of notable alumni including Maroons sensation Israel Folau and NRL players Chris Sandow, Joe Tomane and Antonio Winterstein.Smith senior is entrenched as the NRL's pre-eminent hooker but hopes his younger sibling, who is in Melbourne's under-18s squad, can one day succeed him in the Storm No. 9 jumper."I'm getting on a bit so he might eventually take my spot," quipped Smith, who turns 27 in June. He's been hanging around the Storm since he was nine or 10 so I'm really pleased he's getting his own opportunities."He's a mini me. All the boys say he's a twin of me in looks but just a bit younger. Matt has to make his own path towards first grade and he's certainly up for the challenge."

Standing 180cm and weighing 77kg, the younger Smith may have a famous sibling but Cameron says it will garner him few favours at the Storm.And Matt seems to have inherited his brother's work ethic. At a recent inter-club match, Matt made 30 tackles in 35 minutes.Yet to hold a driver's licence, the teen hops on his bike and rides 40 minutes to Storm training.Cameron himself concedes he was never the most naturally talented footballer and is confident Matt will make it to the top if he continues to work hard."Craig Bellamy (Storm coach) has had a chat to Matt about not worrying about anything I've achieved in the game. He's not me, I want him to be Matthew Smith," Cameron said."He's not going to be worked on harder because he's my brother but, at the same time, he won't be given any favours either."s

"He doesn't look like your typical NRL athlete today but he's a smart kid and he knows his way around the footy field. He analyses defences well and he's very quick between the ears."I was never the most talented or athletic kid but I made sure I worked hard and hopefully Matt has learned something from me in that regard."I never put any pressure on the club to sign him because he is my brother. It would be great to play alongside him one day, I'd love to get the opportunity to play with Matty.
"He's got a lot of hard work in front of him but if he keeps working hard I have no doubt he is good enough to be a first grader."

[Woody]

I know that we have some good young players coming through but how good would that be. All of the other teams waiting for the day that Cam decides he`s had enough and out pops Storm with his younger brother to carry on the same. Some of them would just cry I reckon

[sallymay]

how funny is that

i can just see it now Cam take me to training (cam slaps him over the head nuh bro get there yourself)

haha how cute i wonder if he has to look after jada and jasper too

[CooperCronk]

haha how cute i wonder if he has to look after jada and jasper too

and change their nappies

[glennb]

Can someone please tell me if he is playing in the SG Ball side or the NYC side.  Thanks