Storm keep Australian Captain?

[Hamm.0]

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/spor ... 09,00.html

Cam Smith is about to re sign (by himself, pissed the manager off, which means he gets massive thumbs up from me) with the Storm on a 3 or 4 year contract. Figures are somewhere around the $400k mark ($1.6 Mill over 3 maybe 4 seasons).

IMO, he is well worth this and could command more elsewhere. If he procrastinates on this, I hope Brisbane offer whatever they can...basically everything Lockyer is on.

What I really wnat to discuss, is why would he want to re sign there? Maybe he feels he owes the club or wants to remain a one club man? However, the club didn't exactly raise him...they basically stole him. He has always expressed a desire to return to SEQLD. In QLD he would be endorsed on everything, he would be the next Lockyer in Brisbane no doubt.

The Storm are losing much talent over the next few years, apart from Cronk, they havn't re signed anyone else of importance. As of 2009, the Storm machine dissolves; Kaufusi, Crocker, J. Smith and Falou are gone. In 2010; Hoffman , Inglis, Slater are off contract. 2011 sees Lima, Manu, Johnson and Blair finish.

The Storm will dissolve as the mighty salary cap purges them of the talent they now ooze....so why would Cam Smith choose to resign for 4 years? And if he does stay, especially for that long, watch out NRL, because most of that talent will choose to stay as well IMO.

 

[dukey]

I want him to stay at Melbourne. It's important for the growth of the game in Victoria that he and the Storm's other stars stay in Mexico.

 

[Bucking Beads]

Smith is on e of the best players in the comp but i doubt the Broncos can afford him.. I would much prefer to keep KHUNT and bring through some of our own gun juniors.

 

[ronnyd]

Imagine the rep we would starting getting if poached both Smith and Folau.. not what the broncos are about!!

 

[Coxy]

Meh. The Broncos don't know what they're about anymore.

Go the poach!

 

[Hamm.0]

Isn't this wird....isn't Smith a Brisbane boy poached to Mexico!?

 

[Coxy]

Yep. And being the son of a proud construction industry representative, I'm sure he had a stripper at his buck's night!

 

[Alec]

I want him outta there. Can't stand seeing Melbourne do well. :oops:

If we forget about re-signing Hodges, maybe we can offer him 500-550K?

 

[Fozz]

Smith is not worth 500k!

Prince, Thurston, Lockyer, yes!

Smith, no. Maybe 400k but I certainly don't think he would be worth that large chunk of the salary cap (500+) for what he brings to the team.

 

[Alec]

Smith is not worth 500k!

Prince, Thurston, Lockyer, yes!

Smith, no. Maybe 400k but I certainly don't think he would be worth that large chunk of the salary cap (500+) for what he brings to the team.

LOL!

He adds more to the team than just about any player on the planet.

 

[Fozz]

I've never seen Smith turn a game like Lockyer, Thurston or Prince have.

 

[Hamm.0]

Smith is fundamental to QLD's success over the last 3 series.

He is a leader; watch Game 2 and 3 2008; there is one man talking AT the whole team before the game, at halftime, after the game...not to mention on the field. He is born for RL.

Watch Storm gams, it's the same. In all honesty, not since The King have I seen a player lay it down to his team like Smith does.

What he brings isn't just his excellent organisational skills, his great kicking game, his above average goal kicking, his excellent short passing skills, his unbelievable ability to make metres off the ruck....but also his ability to lead men. This is why he is the Australian Captain for the next 5 years.

Smith is well worth what Lockyer is on. And if the Salary Cap gets increased or some form of concessions are introduced, he is therefore worth more than what Lockyer is worth.

 

[Alec]

Smith is fundamental to QLD's success over the last 3 series.

He is a leader; watch Game 2 and 3 2008; there is one man talking AT the whole team before the game, at halftime, after the game...not to mention on the field. He is born for RL.

Watch Storm gams, it's the same. In all honesty, not since The King have I seen a player lay it down to his team like Smith does.

What he brings isn't just his excellent organisational skills, his great kicking game, his above average goal kicking, his excellent short passing skills, his unbelievable ability to make metres off the ruck....but also his ability to lead men. This is why he is the Australian Captain for the next 5 years.

Smith is well worth what Lockyer is on. And if the Salary Cap gets increased or some form of concessions are introduced, he is therefore worth more than what Lockyer is worth.

Agreed 100%.

 

[Jeza23]

I would like to see him come to Brisbane but I doubt it will happen, simply because of the talent they are offloading this year and quite possibly next as well. They will have the money to keep him, but they may have to lose a guy like Slater or Inglis to keep him, which would be a bit of shame, particularly if it was to the ESL or Rugby.

 

[mick]

I've never seen Smith turn a game like Lockyer, Thurston or Prince have.

And what do those blokes have in common? They wear a 6 or 7 on their back, don't they?

Very few hookers are genuine game breakers. But the importance of momentum and good service from dummy half in the modern game is paramount. Smith doesn't have the X-factor to turn a game on it's head in 10 seconds, but that's not what you'd pay him the $500k to do.

Have to totally agree with Hammo here!

 

[Coxy]

Ennis is the world's best game breaker. Ask Rocky :P

 

[rnabokov]

I've never seen Smith turn a game like Lockyer, Thurston or Prince have.

And what do those blokes have in common? They wear a 6 or 7 on their back, don't they?

Very few hookers are genuine game breakers. But the importance of momentum and good service from dummy half in the modern game is paramount. Smith doesn't have the X-factor to turn a game on it's head in 10 seconds, but that's not what you'd pay him the $500k to do.

Have to totally agree with Hammo here!

That maybe true, but a player like Smith can consistently set up field position, set-up plays and otherwise give game-breakers the opportunities they need.

To me, that's pretty close to an X-factor.

 

[mick]

That's what I meant by it. They aren't always the ones that put on the freaky kicks/passes or directly affect a line break through great footwork.

But they almost solely control their team's momentum. Without good service from the rake, game breakers are useless players!