Smith’s short Broncs career

QUEENSLAND captain Cameron Smith has opened up about the day he nearly joined the Broncos, revealing he told a shocked Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy of his plan to quit the Storm.

Smith will move a step closer to NRL Immortal status when he becomes the mostcapped player in the code’s 109-year history in Saturday night’s finals opener against Parramatta at AAMI Park.

Smith has become rugby league’s poster boy in Melbourne and his 356th game this week, surpassing Broncos legend Darren Lockyer, is a record-breaking illustration of his importance to the Storm.

But the Maroons skipper yesterday detailed the moment he met Bellamy in 2014 to advise the Storm mentor he was joining the Broncos.

At the time, Brisbane had launched a poaching raid on Smith and he was to be coached by Wayne Bennett, who was appointed for the 2015 season after Brisbane’s board sacked Anthony Griffin.

But Smith revealed his move to the Broncos sensationally fell through after his wife Barbara intervened, demanding he remain at a Storm club now charging towards a second title in five years.

“I sat down with Craig and told him my time had come to move home,” Smith said.

“I never told the Broncos. It was between myself, my wife and Craig.

“I hadn’t seen an offer from either club at the time, it was just me making a decision in my head first and I felt I had come to the right decision to

join the Broncos when I spoke to Craig that day.

“‘Bellyache’ didn’t try to talk me out of it. He was quite shocked at first.

“I think he thought it wouldn’t be my thoughts (to join Brisbane) but at no stage did he try to talk me out of it.

“He knew that it was a difficult situation for all guys that start a family in Melbourne. It’s just you and your teammates. Me and my wife’s parents were back in Queensland and she was trying to raise three kids, basically by herself.”

It took some honest conversations with his wife to convince Smith to stay loyal to the Storm club that signed him as a teenager from Norths Devils for $5000.

“My wife could tell by the way I was getting around that I was uneasy with the decision (to go to the Broncos),” he said.

“She sat me down and said, ‘whatever you want to do, I’ll be happy with whatever decision you make’.

“A weight just lifted off my shoulders when she said that.”

Meanwhile, Sam Thaiday has revealed plans to retire at the end of next season.

“My time (to retire) has come. To be honest, my body is sore. I’m tired,” he said.