Melbourne, Queensland and Australian great Cameron Smith celebrated his 350th NRL appearance in the Storm’s 40-6 victory over Manly this past Sunday, and he did it in style setting up four tries in a man of the match performance.
Fifteen years after his debut Smith is still leading the way as one of the best hookers in the game. Let’s take at look at his 2017 season.
Smith’s four try assists on the weekend took his tally to 11 which is the most of any hooker in the league, he has also converted the most goals (51), he has scored the most points (106), made the most kicks and metres from kicks (68 and 2087), his seven try contributions is the most in the league in his position, as is his four 40/20s.
The six-time Dally M Hooker of the Year has made the fifth most tackle busts (18), sixth most offloads (seven), and the 10th most tackles (527), the second most long kicks (29) and the most passes in general play (266).
In 2015 Smith became the first Melbourne player to surpass 300 matches, and this past weekend became only the third player to play 350. If the 34-year-old can play every match he will overtake Darren Lockyer to become the most capped NRL player (356) in the first week of the final series.
In March of this year Smith reached 2000 career points to become the first forward, first Queenslander, and just the fifth player to achieve the milestone.
With Cooper Cronk moving to Sydney and question marks about Billy Slater’s future, Melbourne’s golden generation is seemingly drawing to a close so there’ll be no better way to go out than Smith becoming the game’s most capped player and Melbourne securing yet another premiership victory.
Peter
Guest
So? Is there a rule that says he has to? Anyway, how can you hook for a ball that has been (illegally in every instance) rolled behind the second-towers legs just as they break (early and illegally) from the scrum? And that applies to Every scrum fed by every team.
David C.
Guest
The commenters have Cameron Smith's place in the league hierarchy more accurately than the author. Cam is a great player but he has never hooked for the ball in a scrum in his entire career!
The Spectator
Guest
It's all the post try celebrations, watch highlights of Mel games, lol.
Big Daddy
Guest
Robbie Farah would disagree with that comment - just ask him.
Craig
Guest
I personally rate Lockyer above both. But I would have Smith just shading JT. JT has pure brilliance probably over both (you could also argue Slater too), but if I'm selecting one bloke for my club - Lockyer, Smith, Thurston, Slater - in that order.
Albo
Guest
We will beg to differ AG ! Given a choice of Smith or JT for my team over the past decade, for me it will be Smith every time, though the consolation prize of JT would also, be gratefully accepted.
The Barry
Roar Guru
I hope age catches up with me as well as it has Smith. Pretty safe bet to win the Dally M this year. He's unreal, he does it all. Not only is he on the verge of breaking the games record but he does it playing 80 minutes in the middle making 40-50 tackles a game, as well as controlling the game, influencing the refs, kicking in play, kicking goals and laying on points. I find it tough to split JT and Smith. Why bother? Why not enjoy both...?
AGordon
Guest
JT is a FAR better player, all round, than Smith and I suspect Smith would be the first to admit it. He is a great leader, faster, more skillful with the ball, is a solid defender, a better goal kicker, but it's the 1%ers that make him a notch above. I've lost count the times JT has kicked in games, and has been the first player to make a tackle. I remember him doing that at least twice in SoS and it cost NSW sets of 6 and ultimately tries. I'd rate JT the best player I've seen in 50 plus years of watching the game - and that's from a New South Welshman! I watched Smith closely lasted round and thought he had an 8 out of 10 game at best. There were at least 3 occasions where he fell off tackles and twice where he threw passes that missed the mark by yards. Smith's a great player, no argument, but maybe age is catching up with him.
Albo
Guest
Surely Smith is the greatest player of the modern rugby league era. Not just evidenced by the stats, but simply by watching his performances as a player and a team leader in any match over the past 15 years, where the high quality performance level has to this point, still been maintained .
The Fatman
Guest
People underestimate how much hard work Cameron Smith does. He turns up to every training and goes at 100% - all the time You play the way you train. and Cameron Smith trains hard.