NEWS Cameron Smith announces retirement

[McHunt]

Broncos chairman Karl Morris is ready to jizz:

“Look, who wouldn’t want Cam Smith, he is a legend of the game. But I can honestly say I haven’t spoken to him and I don’t know anyone at the Broncos who has spoken to him. The ball is in his court. If Cam called any club tomorrow and said he wanted to play for them, including the Broncos, you would send a limousine to his house."

“Which of the 16 clubs would not want Cam on their books? But we haven’t had any talks so we haven’t had any plans to sign him.”

This follows Mal Meninga denying interest:

“We haven’t talked to Cam Smith, that is 100 per cent fact. It really is that simple. There is all sorts of talk about him living on the Gold Coast and playing for us, but we haven’t spoken to him. I don’t have any idea what Cam is doing. I don’t know if he’s retiring. I’m in the dark like everyone else. But I know he won’t be at the Titans."

“Look, the reality is he is a Melbourne boy and the Storm have some very powerful businessmen. Because he was down at Mudgeeraba in a light blue shirt kicking a footy around in boots people want to think he’s going to sign with the Titans. I wasn’t behind the toilet shed trying to sign him I can tell you. He won’t be with us, simple as that.”

Nope, no Mal back there

Likewise Justin Holbrook:

“Does that mean people will finally stop asking me?” I was always happy with Mitch Rein, Erin Clark and Tanah Boyd (at hooker), that’s why I was never too worried about it all. It was good for the hype, but I said all along you need to ask him what he wants to do. I have never spoken to him. We will see what he ends up doing.”

McHunt

 

[I bleed Maroon]

Yeah sure thing.

 

[IceWorks]

I mean there are mixed metaphors and there is.... someone behind the shed doing player deals? Is that where they are done now instead of the golf course?

 

[the_next]

It would be interesting to know what our books actually look like for 2021.
We could assume that we should have anywhere from 450-800k to spend now.
Whilst I do not think C.Smith will end up at the Broncos, we could potentially end up giving him an extremely lucrative deal, considering we are already a few months into the NRL financial year of 2021.
The third parties that he would also attract would have to also be a massive incentive.
Just imagine if Donaghy and Kevvie have been working on this in the background for the last few weeks/months. I guess officially, Donaghy wouldn’t have been able to, but after all, Melbourne are the greatest at flexing the rules.

 

[broncos4life]

It would be interesting to know what our books actually look like for 2021.
We could assume that we should have anywhere from 450-800k to spend now.
Whilst I do not think C.Smith will end up at the Broncos, we could potentially end up giving him an extremely lucrative deal, considering we are already a few months into the NRL financial year of 2021.
The third parties that he would also attract would have to also be a massive incentive.
Just imagine if Donaghy and Kevvie have been working on this in the background for the last few weeks/months. I guess officially, Donaghy wouldn’t have been able to, but after all, Melbourne are the greatest at flexing the rules.

If we have that space there is no one better to spend it on that is available this year.

I think we all know what will happen here though and Smith will troll us hard as one final **** you. He will lean into these rumours now until it looks like it will be happening and he will then either sign with the Titans or retire. The guy is a fucking arsehole.

 

[McHunt]

CEO reject Ben Ikin is not bitter:

“I think Cameron Smith will play on. I think he is kind of doing a bit of recalibrating in terms of his family life. He has shifted his family to the Gold Coast and he knows he doesn’t need a full pre-season."

“We have seen the photos. We’ve heard the rumours. He is still in good nick. He is still kicking footballs. He could easily, with his footy IQ, drop into that Titans side and play as well in round one for the Gold Coast as he did in the grand final for the Storm.”

“I have some people who have come across Cameron privately in the last four to six weeks and his standard answer when they put it on him about playing at the Titans this year is just to giggle. And he has got it down pat. I reckon if he was ready to move on he would be at least saying something privately. But he is not even giving anything away privately which leads me to believe that he is every chance.”

Hole in one or one in the hole?

“It would be more interesting if his name just showed up on the team sheet in the lead up to round one on the Tuesday. Contract is registered on the Tuesday morning, team sheets come out on Tuesday afternoon.”

He thinks Smith can transform the Titans into the new Broncos:

“Because great players have the capacity to lift everyone around them three to five per cent. I mean Andrew Johns, what he did for some of those players in that Newcastle Knights backline, they will be forever grateful to Joey. That is just what great players do. Cameron won’t just get the best out of his young playmakers. I mean, (Jamal) Fogarty and (Ash) Taylor had a good season last year but with Cameron inside them it takes off a stack of pressure and gives them more time and space. And we all see what he does with any forward pack he plays with … he just lifts an entire side."

“And we have had this discussion on NRL 360. You go back on Cameron’s career, you struggle to put two minutes of highlights together in 17 or 18 years because it is death by a thousand cuts with Cameron. It is all very subtle and cunning. Not everybody likes the way he does it but it works. It is effective.”

Smith's best frenemy Cooper Cronk disagreed:

“It would take a hell of a lot of sacrifice or cojones to go out and play for the Titans after having achieved all that stuff at the Melbourne Storm. I don’t have any mail."

“You’re arguably the greatest player who has ever played the game. You are content in life. He can go down to the Broadbeach Surf Club and have a beer and put his feet up and enjoy. If he wants to play on it is completely his choice. I am saying he can. He is physically able to. He finished top five in the Dally M last year. So everything says that he could play on. I am not saying he shouldn’t. But my personal opinion is I think he has retired.”

McHunt

 

[Jedhead]

When will the penny drop? He’s retired for good. He’s loving the speculation and the absolute drivel some people are putting out. I think the only team Baden hasn’t asked yet and probably will are the Brisbane Lions just so he can print a headline that they’ve denied having talks with him as well.

What a piss weak circus to start the beginning of a new season. He’s finished - move on ffs.

 

[McHunt]

When will the penny drop? He’s retired for good. He’s loving the speculation and the absolute drivel some people are putting out. I think the only team Baden hasn’t asked yet and probably will are the Brisbane Lions just so he can print a headline that they’ve denied having talks with him as well.

What a piss weak circus to start the beginning of a new season. He’s finished - move on ffs.

Hang in there. The pieces are still falling into place.

 

[theshed]

I think I figured it out. He’s moved to the Goldcoast and is waiting to see if the Storm will have to relocate again this season (looking likely). If so he will just rejoin them and play on and if not he retires.

 

[Waynesaurus]

Good to see Benny is back on his Titans wagon after being overlooked for the CEO job.

 

[007]

Theres no way he goes for the Titans. It would only be Broncos or Storm if he decides to play on.

 

[McHunt]

Theres no way he goes for the Titans. It would only be Broncos or Storm if he decides to play on.

Depends whether he wants to play in the finals.

 

[007]

Depends whether he wants to play in the finals.

The bookies are always trying to rake in good money pre season. I would take it with a grain of salt. There would be a few good bets against based on those numbers.

 

[Waynesaurus]

Yeah, I have no doubt the NRL would push a Titans/Smith fairytale.

 

[BRC088]

Be interesting to see how the odds change with CS9 at the Broncs though. IMO he's the only player in the NRL that can utilise Milford, personally if we can combine Smith and Milf either go to the top in try assists for the year..

 

[McHunt]

The bookies are always trying to rake in good money pre season. I would take it with a grain of salt. There would be a few good bets against based on those numbers.

Yeah, I have no doubt the NRL would push a Titans/Smith fairytale.

Be interesting to see how the odds change with CS9 at the Broncs though. IMO he's the only player in the NRL that can utilise Milford, personally if we can combine Smith and Milf either go to the top in try assists for the year..

The odds might factor in the Titans signing Smith. Regardless conventional wisdom (based on last years table and player movements) favours the Titans over the Broncos. Of course, none of us believe that.

 

[Foordy]

Depends whether he wants to play in the finals.

View attachment 11407

Hold the phone ... i didn't realise the bookies decided the winner ... that streamlines the season pretty well.

I would like to congratulate the Penrith Panthers on a great 2021 season

 

[McHunt]

Hold the phone ... i didn't realise the bookies decided the winner ... that streamlines the season pretty well.

I would like to congratulate the Penrith Panthers on a great 2021 season

Please provide link to the prediction model you're using.