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Smith’s stunning call in wake of Sharks’ cap row

CAMERON Smith has sensationally called for the NRL to consider handing back Melbourne the two titles they had stripped for salary-cap rorts after rivals Cronulla escaped a premiership sanction.

Speaking at the code’s season launch last night, Smith came out swinging, expressing his dismay at the Sharks retaining their 2016 title despite the NRL integrity unit uncovering a salary-cap breach.

Melbourne were embroiled in one of Australian sport’s biggest scandals in 2010 when they were found to have cheated the cap by an estimated $1.7 million over a five-year period.

Former NRL chief executive David Gallop threw the book at the Storm, fining the club $1.1 million and stripping Melbourne of their 2007 and 2009 premierships, plus three minor premierships.

The current NRL administration, led by Todd Greenberg, last week issued Cronulla a breach notice proposing a $750,000 fine for systematic salary-cap rorts dating back to the 2013 season.

The NRL alleged the illegal payments did not affect their title-winning 2016 season, allowing the Sharks to keep the premiership they won, ironically by beating Melbourne.

Smith, the most-capped player in NRL history with 384 games, was left devastated by the Storm salary-cap affair and believes there are clear inconsistencies between the sanctions handed out to Cronulla and the Storm.

Asked if current NRL boss Greenberg should look to reinstate Melbourne’s stripped premierships, Storm skipper Smith was unequivocal.

“Absolutely,” he said. “They have a lot on their plate at the moment (with a spate of off-field scandals) and I don’t want to take away from some of the things that have happened over the past six months.

“But if the NRL can have a look back and go over what happened at the Storm over those years, they may find there is a different outcome.”