1Melbourne great Cameron Smith has finally confirmed he is retiring from the NRL after 19 seasons, with the Storm’s 2020 grand final win his last match.
Cameron Smith’s Melbourne Storm career fittingly ended right where it began.
As an 18-year-old Smith made his NRL debut in 2002 at the old Olympic Park.
Now 37, Smith stood looking over that ground as he called time on his NRL career after “wrestling” with the decision for the past four months.
And his statue, which sits between their old home ground, and the current one AAMI Park, will ensure Smith is always a part of Melbourne.
His retirement brings to a close an extraordinary 19-season career that has him touted as a future rugby league Immortal.
The Brisbane-born hooker played a record 430 games and is the only player in history to surpass 400.
Smith says he only made a decision last week and thought the unveiling of the statue would be the perfect spot to make it public.
He told coach Craig Bellamy and football manager Frank Ponissi on Wednesday morning before letting his teammates and club staff know just before the formalities.
“I’ve spent a few months up in Queensland with the family and had really good opportunities to think over my thoughts on playing on or not,” Smith said on Wednesday.
“I look back on my career and found I was very fortunate to be part of a wonderful organisation filled with many great footballers and great people and it felt like the right time to finish off the back of what was a very successful season last year.
“I couldn’t have asked for more than finishing with the premiership for a club I played my entire career with.”
He said his decision was made more difficult in that he still felt physically and mentally capable of going around for a 20th season.
“I still felt my form was good enough to play in the NRL but at the end of the day once I spent good quality time with my family up in Queensland I knew it was the right time to finish.
“It just gives me the opportunity to enjoy the next phase of my life – hopefully it will involve rugby league in some capacity but the most important thing for me is my family.”
It was Smith’s first official Storm appearance since their 2020 grand final win over Penrith and comes just a day out from the club’s NRL season opener against South Sydney.
Smith said he won’t be at the game as it’s his oldest daughter Jada’s 13th birthday but he intends returning to a home match to farewell the Storm faithful.
He’s the last to retire of Melbourne’s so-called “Big Three”, that included Cooper Cronk and Billy Slater, who were so integral to the club’s sustained success.
Slater’s statue, also unveiled Wednesday, sits alongside Smith’s, with the retired fullback paying tribute to his teammate and great friend.
“I still remember when we were 18 years old in Brisbane and Cameron got the call to come down and debut for Melbourne,” Slater said.
“He’s done a whole heap for the game – I don’t know of a more influential player who has played the game.
“He’s certainly contributed a whole heap to my career and what I’ve been able to do on the football field.”
Playing in eight grand finals, Smith steered the Storm to NRL premierships in 2007, 2009, 2012, 2017 and 2020, although the first two titles were later stripped for salary-cap breaches.
The durable hooker was also instrumental in Queensland’s eight-year State of Origin reign between 2006 and 2013, while he was represented Australia from 2006 until his 2017 retirement from representative football.
While he has moved to the Gold Coast, Smith said he had already been in talks with the Storm about his future involvement but he was in no rush.
“I’ve really enjoyed having my own time to do my own thing away from the career I’ve had and the demands of the NRL.
“It’s been refreshing to be able to able to pick and choose what I’d like to do rather than be dictated to by a training schedule or a season draw.”
Ben Pobjie
Expert
I guess also complicating things was that there were a few years when Kimmorley was VERY good. And though it's a long time ago now, no, I reckon that between Elias and Buderus for NSW - or Walters and Buderus/Smith for Australia - there weren't a lot of really brilliant hookers demanding selection. Maybe my memory is faulty. Toovey might've been the best hooker of that period, once he made the switch.
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
I'm loving that list, Mick. Whan an eclectic bunch of champions. Nicely put together.
Easy target
Roar Rookie
I should have clarified my confusion. I get using joey as a creative hooker to improve the strength of a team. But my thinking is that everything I hear is that joey was far better than any other player, but then hear that kimmorley was picked in the new or aus team at half instead, this suggests to me that it’s horses for courses that decides the half role. So was joey that far ahead or is it hyperbole? Thanks for explaining the toovey history that selection makes more sense to me. I just couldn’t imagine picking farah at 9 so Smith could play half because aus have more skilled 9’s than 7’s (admittedly there were a couple of handy 7’s during smith’s career – were there really no stand out 9’s during the joey era? I just can’tget my head around it, but thanks for trying to explain it)
Ben Pobjie
Expert
Alex, the situation was basically: you have two players - for example, Johns and Kimmorley - who are both outstanding, and the team will be better with both of them, but they play the same position. At the same time, there is no particular standout hooker who demands a spot. Johns is better than Kimmorley, but also more versatile - he can play more than one position and Kimmorley can't. The team is better with both in than it would be with just one plus whoever is the least worst option at hooker. So you pick both and you put the more versatile player out of normal position. Another situation, as another commenter described, was when Johns and Toovey were picked at hooker and half, but for most of the game Johns played half and Toovey hooker, despite their jumper numbers.
Mr Right
Roar Rookie
Sounds of silence from the Ian Walsh appreciation society? Although I can understand St George fans looking back for some solace after the club's non performance over the last 10 years.
Mr Right
Roar Rookie
— COMMENT DELETED —
Who is Matt Hodgson?
Rob
Guest
Yep, Viv got out with a nothing shot inside edging probably not wanting to bat with a couple of balls left. If someone said Ryan Harris was as good as DK you’d probably call for a straight jacket. The ball Harris bowled Cook with was as good as an delivery bowled. Fact is stats would suggest you have a valid argument until wicket totals put DK ahead. McGrath is top of the tree in the wickets by a long margin. He dismissed more top 4 batsmen in the history of the game than anyone less by a long way.
matth
Roar Guru
How is that lying?
Retro Rabbit
Roar Rookie
He said he had made his decision a week ago (I'm not convinced of that) but irrespective if he knew he was going to retire a week ago why not share that in confidence with his teammates? Why leave them in the dark, not return their calls and then spring the news 10 - 15 mins before the statue unveiling ceremony? Not very sporting matth. I thought QLDers had it in their DNA to stick together in solidarity?
The Barry
Roar Guru
Yep - when you watch the series where Johns was picked at hooker and Toovey at 7, Toovey was playing dummy half and Johns first receiver after about 5 minutes Queenslanders can be funny like that... when Lockyer plays two positions at the highest levels he’s a genius. When Johns does it it’s because he’s not good enough to hold down a spot...
matth
Roar Guru
SBW just took the title of longest to announce his retirement, by one day.
matth
Roar Guru
Do have any evidence of Smith lying before or is it just that you’ve used your clairvoyant abilities to decide for yourself?
Easy target
Roar Rookie
This is a reply to Ben (I struggle to figure out who’s replying to what in these sometimes) I never understood this. If half-back is the most important position (and it was always regarded that way during joey’s career) and joey was the best half (and a head and shoulders best player of all time), why would picking him out of position make the team stronger? This isn’t a criticism of the comment, I genuinely have never understood this. I was too young at the time to understand more than the basics of rugby league when joey was at his best which doesn’t help
Easy target
Roar Rookie
I agree on elite players not necessarily being able to coach others due to not being able to pass on their innate abilities, but I do look at the sheer number of hookers and fullbacks that Cam and Billy seem to have helped bring through. Compare that to the half-backs that haven't been produced despite working with all the best former players. IMO that's enough to say he can coach (again, not as a head coach but as an assistant) then again I do see the world through purple tinted glasses, so bias may play it's part
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
Not a chance, he's not an ex-Broncos ... (sarcastic some??)
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
Until Smith gets offered a gig and accepts on the basis that those guys aren't around...
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
Naa, I still think they'll take the lollies at the end. I think I'm more upset by the way Storm dealt them a shellacking after they gave it to the Dragons. Based on this we (Red V) are spoon hunters this year. :crying: If I was a Souths fan I'd be more p**ed off about the second try. A clear offside by Hughes in the lead-up in my book.
Retro Rabbit
Roar Rookie
No Rob, Greg was still at the Storm when the salary cap scandal broke in 2010. It was the reason behind GI being forced to leave the club to help make the Storm salary cap compliant. So Cam Smith still holds that title. It wasn't just the additional money Smith was getting paid under the table, but the Storm also bought him an expensive boat and a number of other non-declared financial inducements as well.
Retro Rabbit
Roar Rookie
Don't let last night's result against the Storm change your mind about the Rabbitohs chances in 2021 DPS. I haven't seen a worse starting 30 mins from Souths since CPBs Dogs beat the Bunnies late last year! Given that the Bunnies ended up with a meagre 43% possession, 62% completion rate (24/39) and 15 errors it is a testimony to how well they are travelling to have finished within 8 points of the defending premiers! Especially given that I believe the last Storm try to "Little Papy" was a No Try. The Bunnies will be primed for Manly next week, it won't be pretty if you are a Manly fan.