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Opinion
Well blow me down, unbelievably, Cameron Smith has finally, and let’s hope with some finality, announced his retirement from the game that he has both loved and controlled for most of this millennium.
Or has he?
At the age of 37, after 19 seasons with the Storm, three premierships along the way (let’s not mention the other two), a record 430 NRL games with 2,786 points, 119 representative matches with 292 points, an order of Australia, a diamond ring for Barbara, various Dally M awards, and no doubt both a knighthood and elevation to rugby league Immortal status just around the corner, it’s over.
Can you believe it?
He’s finished, retired, put away the whistle, hung up the boots, and sent the wrestling leotard to Vinnies. He is, in fact, an ex-player.
So the question that will, no doubt, keep me up at night for months to come is “what are we all going to do without Cameron Smith?”
Where to now? No GOAT!
Craig Bellamy, and those at the Storm, won’t spend too much time pondering this as they already have more talented hookers on their books than a high class bordello.
Life will go on for the Storm without Smith, premierships will be delivered, salary caps will be “stretched”, and haters will hate.
It certainly won’t trouble the Queensland Origin set up too much either, as they’ve now clearly demonstrated that no matter what group of fringe first graders is assembled to make up their squad, just giving them a maroon jersey and writing the word “QUEENSLANDER” in indelible ink on the back of their forearms is enough to guarantee success.
If last year’s worst team of all time could win without Smith, then anyone can.
The media experts – Paul Kent, Fox Sports, Robert Craddock, Channel Nine, Gus Gould and his disciples, Phil Rothfield and his co-confused – and the rest will quickly move on and find another player or coach to alternately criticise, troll and adore.
There’s plenty to choose from too, despite the untimely departure of Anthony Seibold last year. Someone will no doubt soon step up into the black hole-sized media void left by Smith and the 24 hour news cycle will move relentlessly on.
Cameron Smith and Brandon Smith (no relation). (Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images)
So who, then, does his retirement impact on the most?
Why it’s us of course. You and I. The poor simple sports blogger, the unwitting lightweight gronk, the unshaven keyboard warriors inhabiting the dark web in our dressing gowns and trackie dacks.
We all know that just typing the words “Cameron Smith” into the title of an article virtually guarantees both its success and notoriety, with lots of views, likes and comments.
On the premier sports blog The Roar for example, just two or three “Cameron Smith” articles can take you from the clueless “Rookie” status, to a smug, all knowing “Guru” within a couple of weeks.
Smith is such a successful, popular, unpopular, loved, hated, retiring, still playing, iconic, disparaged, record-breaking, Victorian, Queenslander, greatest, not greatest, future immortal player.
The mere mention of his name brings otherwise unseen correspondents out of the woodwork (or wherever it is that they dwell) to voice their opinions, over and over and over again. From the writer’s perspective, there’s no need to even bother adding any new content as the responses will always be the same anyway.
The very fact that you are still reading this article, and are sorely tempted to submit your comment, is proof of the pudding.
So as we now reluctantly farewell Cameron Smith, don’t hold back. You need to get cracking immediately and comment below, as there may not be many more opportunities left to dig over this old topic, and even older player, ever again.
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