[Official] Smith re-signs with the Storm

xo-stephy-ox said:
HAHA i hope you aren't referring to me with that comment :P

Anyways....I wish Gee would shed some light on signings etc instead of leaving us all out in the cold on it.
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Haha no not at all. I wasn't actually referring to anyone in particular... Well ok yes I was, but it wasn't you :p
 
*Sigh* I really don't know why they're going to all this trouble: No Cookies | thetelegraph.com.au

THE Broncos are putting together a $3.3 million package - the richest deal in the club's 26-year history - to secure Test captain Cameron Smith until the end of 2017.The Sunday Mail can reveal the Broncos have agreed to pursue Smith after months of talking about whether to formally approach the Storm hooker.
In a move that will have Melbourne chiefs nervous, the Broncos will flex their financial muscle, tabling a club-record three-year deal worth around $1.1 million annually.
It would make Smith the highest-paid player in Brisbane's history, eclipsing ex-skipper Darren Lockyer, who earned around $700,000 in his twilight years at Red Hill.
Storm officials will fight hard to retain Smith, who turns 31 next June, although Brisbane insiders are confident their package will lure the Queensland ace home in 2015.
Well-placed sources say Smith's expected move to the Broncos - which will include the captaincy - is all but a done deal.
There was a slim possibility Smith could have been at Brisbane as early as next season, but he is committed to honouring the final year of his Melbourne deal.
While the Storm are battling salary cap pressures, the Broncos will top-up Smith's base offer with a marquee player payment and third-party deals sourced from major Brisbane corporate organisations.
Aiding the Broncos' pursuit is incremental salary cap increases. The NRL's payment ceiling will rise from $5.85 million this year to $6.3 million in 2014 and $6.55 million the following year, giving Brisbane an extra $700,000 in its budget.
Broncos coach Anthony Griffin was tight-lipped about the club's interest in Smith.
"I have nothing to say about Cameron Smith. I'm focused on next season," Griffin said.
Smith will make a definitive call when he returns from Australia's World Cup campaign but has consistently baulked at pledging his future to Melbourne beyond 2014.
He has previously stated the needs of wife Barbara and their three children would be paramount.
"This decision is almost purely based on family and what's best for our family," Smith said when asked about his future. "It comes down to the decision on what's best for family. It won't be about money. It's a pretty big decision and I know a fair few people are keen to hear what it's going to be."
Legendary prop Glenn Lazarus is widely regarded as Brisbane's finest recruit after the 1988 first class that included Wally Lewis and Allan Langer. But Smith's potential signing could trump him.
Former Test hooker Kerrod Walters, named in Brisbane's greatest grand final team, backed the club's big-money play for Smith.
"He would be one of the biggest signings in the club's history. He would be worth every cent," Walters said.
"I feel a bit for Andrew McCullough because he is a good young player but when someone like Cameron Smith becomes available, you have to go all out to get him.
"Not only does he give you great presence on the field, off the field he is the perfect ambassador for any club.
"I'm not sure if Cameron alone can bring a premiership to Brisbane, but it would certainly be a huge step in the right direction.
"The Broncos haven't won a comp for seven years so the club needs to act and Cameron Smith would be the perfect signing."
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Ehhhhh.. I'm not a fan of spending all that money on him, I'd much rather us sign DCE for the same amount of money.

But I mean.. I guess it's not HORRIBLE, as long as we get Milford as well.

Barba, Milford, Hunt, Smith would be great spine for 3-4 years until Cam retires, may be good enough to carry us to a premiership or two if our other pieces perform.
 
Was about to post that.

Please no. Let Melbourne fund his retirement.

1.1million per year for 3 years at the age of 32, 33 and 34... He's not worth that money, he simply isn't. Pay DCE 1.1 million a year, sign someone who's not 33... What a massive mistake that would be, we'd lose so many young talents to get a 32 year old smith on a 3 year deal.

He is a great player but at that age, just stick it out with Melbourne. We're going to have to lose a lot of players who can't get payrises because of him. If he would come on a more reasonable wage, like 700-800k yes, but 1.1 is a lot of money for a 32 year old on a 3 year deal.

If he was coming next year, I'd have a different view on this completely, but 1 year is a big difference when you're already pass 30.
 
broncospwn said:
Was about to post that.

Please no. Let Melbourne fund his retirement.

1.1million per year for 3 years at the age of 32, 33 and 34... He's not worth that money, he simply isn't. Pay DCE 1.1 million a year, sign someone who's not 33... What a massive mistake that would be, we'd lose so many young talents to get a 32 year old smith on a 3 year deal.

He is a great player but at that age, just stick it out with Melbourne. We're going to have to lose a lot of players who can't get payrises because of him. If he would come on a more reasonable wage, like 700-800k yes, but 1.1 is a lot of money for a 32 year old on a 3 year deal.

If he was coming next year, I'd have a different view on this completely, but 1 year is a big difference when you're already past 30.
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Amen, if it was a $4.4m deal starting from 2014 and ending in 2017, I'd say hell yes, but the fact that we have to wait another year makes me really hesitant, age is not friendly to Rugby League players, odds are he may not even be the best Hooker in the world after the next season or two.
 
He's said he wants to sign before the season starts. We could sign him, he could suffer an ACL at the end of the season, miss half the season for us and never recover his confidence. It's just a massive risk at his age, he's never suffered a major injury so who knows how he'd recover from one.

1.1 is just too much, it really is. He's worth that right now, not in 2 years for 3 more years.
 
It's all good to say let's sign DCE for that money. But that is by no means a guarantee.
 
broncospwn said:
Well I'd rather sign no one over paying Smith 1.1m to retire.
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Even if it means a Broncos premiership ... and the chance to get him onto our coaching staff after he retires.

Don't get me wrong, I think we should feel out DCE first to find out his level of interest and what it would take to get him to the Broncos, but unless he is a strong chance of coming, I wouldn't waste our time chasing a player that is unlikely to join us and miss out on other players.
 
1.1 million will be total package not all out of our cap. Probably 700000 - 800000 under cap, rest marquee and third party
 
I doubt we'll see Smith in a Broncos jersey, just can't picture him leaving Melbourne after everything.

I'd feel really conflicted about the signing. On one hand, it's Cameron Smith, arguably the best modern hooker in the history of the game and one of the best I've ever seen. The idea of him wearing a Broncos jersey is bloody tantalizing. On the other, he is nearing retirement and that's a heap of money being thrown at a position that really isn't a problem, at least compared to other issues.
 
unbreaK said:
Ehhhhh.. I'm not a fan of spending all that money on him, I'd much rather us sign DCE for the same amount of money.

But I mean.. I guess it's not HORRIBLE, as long as we get Milford as well.

Barba, Milford, Hunt, Smith would be great spine for 3-4 years until Cam retires, may be good enough to carry us to a premiership or two if our other pieces perform.
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Bah, Smith will be fine for at least another 3 years barring injury and will bring star power to our club, which was sadly lacking until we signed Barba. That will help bring talent to our club on less money than he is getting.

Can't hurt to offer it to him. If we get him, great. If not we have that coin for another star (DCE will do just fine...)

Still think we are a dominating prop short of a true premiership side however (assuming we have Milford at 5/8). As much as I like Moose, he'll never be THE dominant prop in the comp ala Petero or Webke. He'll only ever be a good, hard worker. He needs some support. Not sure Hannant or Kennedy will do that job (though they are both good).
 
They only offered that amount to Smith, because they know he will only be around for another 3 or so years, Where as DCE will be around longer, so would never offee DCE that much
 
Smith is in the twilight of his career but he is still playing great footy at club and rep level, is the best hooker in the world and the best hooker I've seen (Bedsy is a close 2nd) and is the Queensland and Australian captain. I'm 50/50 on signing him though as he wouldn't be able to take the team into the future far as the team needs maturing and someone to lead them and Smith would only be coming for 2 years or so.
 
I'd prefer DCE purely because he'll be around longer, but what guarantee is there that we'll get him? It's pretty unlikely.
 
Broncoman said:
Smith is in the twilight of his career but he is still playing great footy at club and rep level, is the best hooker in the world and the best hooker I've seen (Bedsy is a close 2nd) and is the Queensland and Australian captain. I'm 50/50 on signing him though as he wouldn't be able to take the team into the future far as the team needs maturing and someone to lead them and Smith would only be coming for 2 years or so.
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I have to ask. Why do people rate Buderus and Farah so highly? They completely lack the kicking game that Smith has and the running game Luke, Friend and even Segeyaro currently have. What is their main skill that gets their names said when the best hooker ever argument is made? As someone who has watched almost every game over the last 10 years, I just have never seen it.
 
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