What is to become of the Melbourne Storm post Cameron Smith?

There is a salary cap. This means that when smith retires 1 million dollars will be our's to use in whatever way the coach chooses, same with slater. Now of course it will be impossible to find a hooker as good as smith, but there are plenty of other teams in the comp playing well who don't have Cameron smith. This just means you spend the money more wisely, pay for a few higher class forwards, make the players surrounding the new dummy-half better. That's what has worked well for the dragons this year. All it will require is a change in how we manage and allocate funds in the salary cap and smart coaching.

Interesting comments Joe and you should know given how closely you follow the team. I think the loss of Cronk and eventually Smith will be huge for the Storm. How many time did you see Cronk and Smith laying down the law to the rest of the team if they broke discipline and last night there was no one apart from Billy. I'm not sure Billy really stepped up in that role last night. Leadership is a priceless commodity. It will be interesting to see how much longer Smith plays. He seemed really cut up by the media reaction to the Proctor tackle which I thought was a bit unfair on review. I think it may have contributed to him stepping down from origin duties.

Agree Emcie, I suspect some of the young players now having won a premiership and in such dominant fashion are a getting overconfident bordering on arrogant in the their abilities and the expectation that the Storm will just win. When things don't go their way they lose start playing frantic and losing their cool. I doubt even the presence of Smith would have changed things with the amount of dropped ball same as happened in the games you've mentioned. The Storm have just been way off their game this year. Two 20 point losses in the space of 3 weeks is not a good sign for a Storm team that prides itself on defense.

I have to agree with you Joe, Storm have played similarly poor games against other sides this year with Smith in the team. There were plenty of unforced errors in their losses to the dragons and both the tigers games and weren't entirely convincing against the Titans. Smith might have been able to calm things down but I doubt it would've changed the result, whatevers going on at the Storm it's deeper than just Smith missing. Perhaps a few of the younger players have gotten a bit complacent over the off season after taking out a premiership while so young, from an outside perspective it seems like there are some players that just aren't buying into the Storm process as much as you would expect.

Good post Joe. That's one of the most undisciplined and performances I've ever seen from the Storm - and I'm pretty sure it wouldn't have happened if Smith was there. And that's the point. There is a real danger the Storm could be rudderless without him. What Smith brings to the team is a priceless commodity - maturity and leadership and guidance. Just look at the Raiders. They haven't got a Cameron Smith. If they did they would be close to premiership material.

Smith had nothing to do with half the players dropping the ball out there last night. Slater 3 errors in 15 minutes set the tone for the game. This same team without Slater, Cronk, Smith and Chambers did very well in the Origin period last year. They just had a shocker of a night. 63% completion rates wins you nothing. Its not like they were dropping the ball because of bad passes from the fill in dummy halves. They were dropping the ball in contact which has nothing to do with Smith or his replacement. What this team didn't have was the ability to respond to adversity which is where Smiths calm head comes in. Smith will likely go on another year or two and in that time another leader will have to step up to fill the void. That will have to be Finucane or J.Bromich. Some of the young guys like Scott will have learned a lesson tonight in putting the team above your personal gripes. I suspect Scott has also removed himself from Origin consideration with that brain snap. This will be hammered home in the coming weeks and I'll be surprised if this happens again in their career.. As Paul said in his comment above the majority of these guys were in a premiership winning team last year that pretty much swept all before them all season. I expect they will lose something when Smith retires but I doubt they will be whipping boys for any team...they'll at worst fall into the middle of the pack and lose more tight games than they're used to winning. Forget the long term, they need to get themselves into gear now or they'll be in danger of missing the 8 altogether even with Smith. At least Origin means they don't lose Smith but if a couple of that backline are picked especially JAC who has been a star and Slater who is safe at the back they will need to step it up during the Origin period.

I'm not sure how the Storm goes after Smith retires but I do know how Bellamy has gone when he hasn't got Smith in his team. 40 nil in a grand final , three SOO series losses in a row and losing a vast majority of club games when he's not there. In 160 minutes against Manly without Smith they haven't scored one try. Conversely when Smith plays under other coaches it doesn't have an effect on his chance of winning. These figures don't prove everything but they indicate a fair bit. Smith is the King of rugby league.

I think you're reading a lot into one game of football. 17 guys ran out for the Storm last night, the bulk of whom have payed in last year's GF, rep football or both. They played as badly as as it's possible for the Storm to play and Manly played about as well as they can play. Smith being there might have made a difference, but probably not. There were enough "leaders" on the field to cover for his absence, but they simply didn't turn up on the night. The same side, with Smith playing, have been beaten twice by the Tigers this year. I don't recall anyone seriously questioning their credentials to be a force in the finals. Sure they have to replace Smith in the next 12 months, but as jimmy quite rightly said, if Bellamy goes, they're in a heap of trouble.

This article is wishful thinking. Plenty of good players still at the Storm, and Smith will be there at least one more year.

The point most are missing is that Cronk has gone as well. So this was the first time in quite a while without both of them. It is clear Storm now lack a leader without Smith,partly because of Smith. How can one be expected to leader when the team has been conditioned to follow for many years? Easy to say now , but clearly an "apprentice" should have been selected when Smith hit say 32yo. For this failure, there will be a price to pay. Melbourne will soon be without Smith and Slater and maybe,unthinkably ,Bellamy. A rabble awaits.

You really think that one horrible performance like last night signals the end of Melbourne??. Take Cronk and Smith and eventually Slater out of any team and they are going to suffer but the Storm are great recruiters have a star coach and they will be OK. Even after Losing all three they will be a competitive foooty team. The one they can’t afford to loosen is Bellamy .

I should not be up this early or late pending how you look at it but this is what happens when you’re children don’t sleep. But Jason you make and excellent point, when Smith is not around, the Storm just seem to fall apart. I have always considered the Storm to be very similar to the Broncos as to when one great retires hence Langer, another replaces him with great success, hence Lockyer. But since Lockyer’s retirement the Broncos have steadily declined out of the top four or five teams and now or mid carders at best, they haven’t completely hit rock bottom like the knights did but they are no longer the calibre of team they were 12 years ago. I feel the Storm is going the same way. Smith is a once in a lifetime player, I don’t think they will ever be another player like Smith, well not from the dummy half position anyway. If last nights game was any indication of what is to come after Smith’s retirement, Storm best come up with plan C through z and quick.