[Official] Smith re-signs with the Storm

[Alec]

An amazing hooker isn't necessarily needed to win premierships - look at Manly with Matt Ballin. Yes he has international halves to work with meaning all he has to do is service his forwards well, and thus, be only a solid player.

Since when is Ballin only a solid player? He's always been quality.

I know people will come back and say "he's had 125 shots to show us that" and to that I say fair point, but since he started he's had relatively ordinary props in Sims, Clinton, Taylor, Kenny, Sanderpson, Tronc,and since Locky left, a largely ineffective Thaiday (Not exactly a squad of Burgii or the pack we had of Thorn, Tunza, Webcke & Petero in the early 00's).

OK, that's fair enough for his first 2 years. But since 2011 we had very good middle third forwards like McGuire, Parker, Hannant, the first 2 who play most of the match.

~125 games is a long time, longer than a lot of players careers. I'm willing to give McCullough next year to turn himself around, but if he doesn't, surely enough mediocrity is enough? Hooker seems like such an underrated position these days. If we HAVE to have a mediocre hooker, why not have someone who is at least provides good service and solid decision making.

 

[Big Pete]

Compare McCullough to Ballin.

McCullough at 23 has played his 125 games.

Ballin at the same age had only played 13.

Point is, people are making way too much about his experience in first grade. Hookers really don't develop until about this age right now & Macca isn't the lost cause he's made out to be.

Signing Smith is one thing, but looking to sign any up and coming hooker over him? Yeah, nah.

 

[Alec]

Let's wait another 5 years and hope he finally becomes good in 2019.

 

[Big Pete]

I'd take that than sacking him for any other hooker in the competition, just cause.

 

[Alec]

I really don't get it. I know he's one of your favourite players, but still, I would have thought the team should come before individual players. We had no problems sacking Wallace. McCullough isn't much better in his position, especially as he severely lacks in the main area of a hooker.

 

[Big Pete]

Hate to break it to you, but everyone has their own biases.

I've made my thoughts on McCullough clear in the past, so I don't feel the need to justify my opinion. The only reason I contributed to this thread was to make the point that the amount of games played isn't an accurate indicator of where he should be as a player.

 

[ningnangnong]

Macca needs a good old fashioned kick up the arse.

I think we all know he has the talent to be a very valuable player for us, but he's just not consistent enough. He'll put in a superb performance and we'll all say 'here we go, finally he's got it together' and then he'll put in three or four decidedly average performances and we all start doubting whether he's the real deal.

Letting him go would be a mistake, as you just know he'd sort himself out and become a great player at another club - problem is though, he looks too comfortable at the moment. Hook needs to get in his ear and do some of this motivational stuff he's meant to be so good at.

It might be worth dropping him to the bench once or twice if he doesn't pick up his form this season, just to give him a bit of a wake up call.

 

[Alec]

Macca needs a good old fashioned kick up the arse.

I think we all know he has the talent to be a very valuable player for us, but he's just not consistent enough. He'll put in a superb performance and we'll all say 'here we go, finally he's got it together' and then he'll put in three or four decidedly average performances and we all start doubting whether he's the real deal.

Letting him go would be a mistake, as you just know he'd sort himself out and become a great player at another club - problem is though, he looks too comfortable at the moment. Hook needs to get in his ear and do some of this motivational stuff he's meant to be so good at.

It might be worth dropping him to the bench once or twice if he doesn't pick up his form this season, just to give him a bit of a wake up call.

I agree, and I've been calling for a bench hooker for ages to start putting actual pressure on him. Right now it's more kissing arse rather than kicking it (which is what frustrates me as a Broncos fan, I guess).

 

[Morkel]

Who knows, the club might be smarter than we think. Using the Smith talk, with massive figures, just to spark McCullough in to getting his shit together.

 

[Sproj]

Yeah I was thinking along those lines Morkel. This off season we have put everyone on notice to step it up and now have depth in most positions at the club which is certainly an incentive to everyone to get their act together.

 

[kingpest]

Captain Sam Thaiday has backed Brisbane's big-money pursuit of Cameron Smith and says the Broncos need to recruit more big names to the NRL club to stay competitive.


The Broncos' chase of Smith represents a marked change in the recruiting policy at Red Hill, with a shift from traditionally procuring their own talent to opening the chequebook for off-contract stars.


Ben Barba has been a key recruit for next season with Melbourne, and Queensland and Australian captain Smith has reportedly been offered a three-year deal worth in excess of $3 million to join Brisbane from 2015.


The massive offer comes after Brisbane made only half-hearted attempts to sign Cooper Cronk and Johnathan Thurston.


Smith would represent the Broncos biggest signing in their 26-year history and Thaiday said he supported the move.


"I think the Broncos have finally realised you need to go out and buy some big-name players every now and then," Thaiday told AAP.


"If Cam is one of those players, and his management and the Broncos want to pursue that option, I'm sure everyone at the Broncos would like to have him there.


"He is a great player and personally I think he still has a few more years left in his career."


There are suggestions Smith would assume the captaincy at Brisbane if he makes the move, a role that Thaiday said he had been enjoying despite the club's travails of late.


"I'm sure Cam wouldn't want to come to the Broncos and step on too many toes," said Thaiday, who will make his boxing debut against giant Chiefs prop Ben Tameifuna in Saturday's Fight for Life event in Auckland.


"I have known him for so many years and he is not that sort of guy. I enjoy the captaincy but if Cam signs it would be up to the club. It is out of my hands."


Smith could line up alongside Anthony Milford at the Broncos, with the promising Canberra utility to join the club in 2015.


There were moves to have him join Brisbane next season, but Thaiday said that was now unlikely.


"I don't think he will be with the club in 2014," Thaiday said.


"I think Canberra will be doing everything they can to keep him down there next year."

 

[I bleed Maroon]

I have some news from my source who reported Barba and Milf weeks prior. A shitload went down today, apparently. All of this will be formally announced before Christmas. I will be posting across multiple threads: Milford, K. Hunt and Kennedy ASADA.

This will be our line up in 2014:

1. K. Hunt
6. Barba
7. Milford
9. McC
14. B. Hunt

And Cameron Smith has agreed to terms for 2015 onwards. My source wouldn't speculate on the dollar value or length of contract but expects it to be north of a million a season as the media have reported. Either McC or Hunt will not be retained. The other is expected to be mentored by Smith.

 

[Unbreakable]

I have some news from my source who reported Barba and Milf weeks prior. A shitload went down today, apparently. All of this will be formally announced before Christmas. I will be posting across multiple threads: Milford, K. Hunt and Kennedy ASADA.

This will be our line up in 2014:

1. K. Hunt
6. Barba
7. Milford
9. McC
14. B. Hunt

And Cameron Smith has agreed to terms for 2015 onwards. My source wouldn't speculate on the dollar value or length of contract but expects it to be north of a million a season as the media have reported. Either McC or Hunt will not be retained. The other is expected to be mentored by Smith.

Somebody already beat you to it.

It appears you have the same source, or maybe the information is actually legit.

 

[I bleed Maroon]

Somebody already beat you to it.

It appears you have the same source, or maybe the information is actually legit.

Ah yes I see, Moose. I would expect we have the same source possibly, or even better, different ones. My source wants me to keep their identity under wraps, so we'll never know.

 

[Alec]

This will be our line up in 2014:

1. K. Hunt
6. Barba
7. Milford
9. McC
14. B. Hunt

I seriously hope not. I don't think you can have both Milford AND Barba in the halves without Smith at hooker (and even then it's not preferable). They are both ball runners, not ball players.

 

[I bleed Maroon]

I seriously hope not. I don't think you can have both Milford AND Barba in the halves without Smith at hooker (and even then it's not preferable). They are both ball runners, not ball players.

I guess beggars can't be choosers. Barba and Milford seem like our best combination until Smith comes along. I guess we could attempt to keep B Hunt in the halves but I dunno if he is going to turn out to be a good choice.

 

[moosehead]

Ah yes I see, Moose. I would expect we have the same source possibly, or even better, different ones. My source wants me to keep their identity under wraps, so we'll never know.

I think its safe to assume we have different sources - and I am pleased we are hearing the same things! I wont name names either - so we will never know!

 

[Sproj]

Seriously if we sign KHunt and Smith on top of Milford and Barba's back ended deal, how can we not be in cap trouble?