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blazza18
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Seems to be a lot of smoke.
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Pole
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lima lima lima duck, terrible news.

I hope this is a beat up. We'd all hate to see Cam at another club but we need to look at the future and life after Cam.

C'mon Cam! Do it for the fans! Retire and stay on at Storm as a coach/mentor
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Pole
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yourhero wrote: Mon Aug 24, 2020 9:39 am Nobody should be pressuring this legend, telling him when to hang them up. Storm fans and the club keep saying that there is no pressure on him. I call bullsh*t on that.
I think your right, the club probably is pressuring him... but IMO that is well within reason by the club, they need to make a call on Brandon/Harry etc. It's not just about Cam, and I'm sure he is well aware of that. I just hope the club and Cam can come to an agreement that keeps him at Melbourne, whether as a player or coach.
Lucas
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No individual is bigger than the club, not even Cam.

It is a tough call, if Cam decides to play with us next season, we will almost certainly lose both Harry and Brandon and then face the prospect of looking for a new 9 in 12 months time (and probably a backup 9 too).

Even if Cam departs, big question marks remain over being able to keep both Harry and Brandon given the ultimatum that came out of Brandon's camp. I'd love to see us retain at least 2 of the hookers, given that retaining 3 looks absolutely impossible.
blazza18
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Club has to work out the salary cap and be able to manage a roster. Given that we have two players waiting on some kind of announcement I have no issue if the Storm have put pressure on Smith.
Itzbek the Purple
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Typical Foxsports. The headline says he's going to play on but there's no mention of it in the body of the article.
RobbieRoss
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I agree it is time for Cam to make a decision. I hope it is to retire. I would be very comfortable ( not that my opinion means anything! ) if he and Barb took the kids to Queensland and he took up a coaching role at GC or Bris - but please not as a player !

Whatever happens he will surely not be playing in 2022, and we really need both Brandon and Harry in order to be a force then and beyond. Hopefully Brandon accepts he can be the permanent 13 , with Harry at 9 . Dale has already said he would be happy to slip into the front row rotations .

Of course, we still have a premiership to win this year, and NOTHING would be better than seeing Cam lift that very heavy trophy again in October !!!
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Pole
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RobbieRoss wrote: Mon Aug 24, 2020 11:18 am NOTHING would be better than seeing Cam lift that very heavy trophy again in October !!!
19kgs is the weight, was originally 34kgs when cast in bronze back in 1998. And apparently the Winfield Cup was 40kgs+!

Sorry off topic here haha
glennb
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Cam does lift a trophy better than any other person I have ever seen. But then again he has had lots of practice
moffla
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There's no way in my mind he plays at another club. I simply can't process the thought.
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moffla wrote: Mon Aug 24, 2020 2:50 pm There's no way in my mind he plays at another club. I simply can't process the thought.
Agree, the thought makes me feel sick!
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yourhero
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https://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/nrl-2 ... 16ab45d088

NRL 2020: Cameron Smith ‘selfish’, risks becoming a ‘hypocrite’

Cameron Smith’s legacy is at stake as he mulls over his future and the wrong call could see his reputation damaged beyond repair.
James Matthey
news.com.au
25th August 2020


Cameron Smith runs the risk of being labelled “selfish” if he plays for Melbourne next year or a “hypocrite” if he switches clubs as the NRL veteran weighs up his future.

The 37-year-old is reportedly edging closer to announcing a decision about what he plans to do in 2021 after his contract with the Storm expires at the end of this season.

Smith is still the best player in the league and nobody doubts he could perform at the same, high level next year if he’s not ready to hang up the boots.

But if he stays in Melbourne, he will block the paths of up-and-coming hookers Brandon Smith and Harry Grant, which may convince the young guns to look elsewhere for more opportunities, robbing the Storm of long-term talent they could build the club around.

Speaking on NRL 360, rugby league reporter Paul Kent accused Smith of being “selfish” by delaying his decision, making it difficult for the Storm to plan for the future.

“He should make his mind up soon. I think he’s selfish,” Kent said.

“You’ve got two other players at the club whose immediate futures have a significant bearing on it.

“Melbourne have always been experts at handling their salary cap but this is throwing them right out because you’ve got three players all on significant money, who are trying to figure out what their futures look like.

“It all rests on one player. It should have happened ages ago.”

The Sydney Morning Herald reported yesterday it’s “highly unlikely” Smith will play for Melbourne next season and Channel 9’s Danny Weidler agrees, believing the veteran won’t want to be held responsible for the Storm losing Grant and Smith.

“Every indication I’m getting is, leaving the Storm seems to be what will happen,” Weidler said on the Big Sports Breakfast.

“He runs the risk of being branded selfish if he stays on with the Melbourne club and all of a sudden they lose a couple of 10-year potential players.
“I don’t think Cameron Smith would want that.”

There has been speculation Smith might join the Broncos to finish his career in his home state of Queensland, but Weidler said given Smith wasn’t overly supportive of longtime teammate Cooper Cronk leaving the Storm to join the Roosters in 2018, linking up with Brisbane would be problematic.

“Given he was critical of Cooper Cronk when he left the Storm for the Roosters, I don’t think he would want to be branded a hypocrite in any way,” Weidler said.

“I would be saying he’ll finish up at the Storm.”

Smith’s dad Wayne told The Courier Mail he thinks his son will retire, because being a one-club player was important to him.

Many expected Smith to have made a call by now and the longer it drags on, the more uncertainty he creates.

Kiwi Test rake Brandon Smith is contracted until the end of 2022 but has told Melbourne if his captain plays on next season, he will seek a release from his deal.

Grant is on loan at Wests Tigers for this season but has said he wants to return to Melbourne next year. However, coming back to Victoria may be less appealing if he knows his path to the No. 9 jersey will be blocked by Smith for another season.
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yourhero
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The commentary around Smith by the likes of Paul Kent and Danny Weidler are f*cking disgusting.

It is a clear attempty to run him out of the game.

Play on with the Storm - He is selfish (but he already is selfish for taking so long to decide if he wants to play on).
Play on elsewhere - He is a hypocrite.
Retirement is his only choice.

Both of these pr*cks deserve the very worst from life and I sincerely hope it comes their way.
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yourhero
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I hope like hell he plays on. Mostly because I just enjoy seeing him play, but also to send a middle finger to these third-rate "journos".
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sallymay
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I don’t even think it’s about Cameron anymore to be honest and it’s 100% not about Harry and Brandon but the other players who are off contract who are waiting on upgrades or extra money his contract could distribute is what annoys me

Christian Welch
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Just two players we should be upgrading and giving more money too and with Cameron taking his sweet a..e time both will proberly just look elsewhere
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