STORM’S SMITH HAS 300 REASONS TO SMILE
STORM coach Craig Bellamy has paid Cameron Smith the ultimate compliment, anointing the Melbourne skipper the greatest player he has seen.
Smith will become the first Storm player to reach 300 NRL games when he leads Melbourne on to AAMI Park on Friday against Penrith.
Along with his 36 Origin games and 43 Tests, it is a remarkable amount of football in a 13- year career that is still going strong, but the 32- yearold Smith insists there is no great secret to his longevity.
“I’m not the biggest bloke going around or the fastest, I always get told I look like an accountant,” Smith said. “I just think the thing for me is that I have always tried to train as hard as I can on the training paddock and tried to make myself a better footballer.’’
Bellamy has coached Smith for all but the first two games of the hooker’s illustrious NRL career, which started in 2002. He said the Queenslander’s consistency puts him in a league of his own.
“A lot of guys older than me would say they haven’t seen a better dummy- half than Cameron Smith, but I don’t think there have been too many better players than Cameron Smith,” Bellamy said.
Smith yesterday reiterated the delicate Alex McKinnon situation was a matter that would be dealt with privately.
“I showed last Wednesday night ( Origin III) I had put everything behind me and I’ve dealt with it in my own way,’’ Smith said.
“I made mention last week that this whole process will be dealt with privately and that’s the way I will keep it.”