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Bellamy doing Storm no favours playing Smith at 7

The Storm's greatest ever. (AAP Image/Action Photographics, Ian Knight)
Roar Rookie
9th June, 2014
24

I’ve never been a fan of players being moved from their strongest position on the field to fill the void left by another player.

So when Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy decided for the second game running that Cameron Smith was the best option at halfback, I saw the decision manifesting itself as a three-try deficit come full-time. The end result was more than that.

One could argue that the final score would have been similar if Smith was playing his usual rake role in a side missing Billy Slater and Cooper Cronk, but the experts had the Roosters winning 13 points at most, not the eventual 20-point margin that will be staring Bellamy in the face come this week’s team video session.

Smith was also thrust into the side as starting halfback against the Cowboys a week ago but that decision seemed a bit more forgivable just four days after State of Origin, with the appearance of Bellamy giving his captain a bit of a rest in defence.

But Smith is a competitor of the highest order and he spared no effort, racking up about 60 tackles in his side’s 22-0 loss.

Without Slater and Cronk in his line-up, perhaps Bellamy had already conceded defeat and decided to toss up a curve ball against the Cowboys?

Smith is the best number 9 in rugby league across the globe and he earned that tag by playing almost 300 NRL games, 30 State of Origin games and 38 games for Australia as a hooker. It was in this position he earned his numerous Dally M awards and a Golden Boot.

To put Smith at halfback means the number 9 position will be filled by a lesser player, and I say that with the greatest respect to Ryan Hinchcliffe who covered the role with gusto against the Roosters.

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Suddenly you have a weakened 9 and a weakened 7 in your side and two wrongs don’t make a right.

Bellamy needs to get Smith back to hooker and have his captain run the side the way he knows best – as a number 9.

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