Sunday’s grand NRL final could be the last time we see Melbourne champions Cameron Smith on a rugby field.
The 37-year-old has yet to reveal whether he wants to withdraw from the game or play again with the Storm or a rival in 2021.
And as the sports world prepares to bid farewell to possibly one of the greatest gamers the code has ever seen, the conversation now turns to its legacy.
See the Fox League Grand Final Week coverage of Kayo. Stream the latest news and insights through kick-off, plus half-time and full-time analysis from the Fox League commentary team. New to Kayo? Get your 14-day free trial and start streaming right away>
Smith has won multiple NRL premierships, State of Origins with Queensland, World Cups with Australia, and amassed almost every single honor the game has to offer.
Storm coach Craig Bellamy has no doubt how he’ll remember the veteran hooker.
“To me, he would probably go down as the best player I’ve ever seen,” Bellamy told NRL 360.
“And I assume that size is great in our game and in life in general. How well do you do what you do, but how long have you been doing it? You know, he’s been doing this at this level for 19 years and there haven’t been a bunch of drop-offs.
GF ULTIMATE GUIDE: Everything you need to know about the Panthers clash with Storm
NRL GF TEAMS: Mind games? Panthers remember a star after a shock ax to fight Storm
Overseas? Stream the 2020 NRL Telstra Premiership Finals Series from outside Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands on WatchNRL. Every game including the Grand Final Live & On-Demand. Grab your Finals Pass to start streaming>
Bellamy on Smith’s legacy
2:00
“I haven’t seen a better player at this level, or the level he’s playing at, and for doing it for so long.
“I think he’s the best player I’ve ever seen and I was in a little bit. I’m 60 years old and I’ve been playing this game since I was five or six years old.
“This is probably as big as I can get, but I had the great privilege of being a small part of his career, seeing most of it and admiring him for so long, and like I said I can’t imagine that someone I’ve seen in my life has a bigger impact on the game than Cameron Smith. “
MORE NRL NEWS
“Laughed At Her”: Bronco’s “Arrogance” Could Cost Her $ 1 Million For Unwanted Stars
SELECTION: The big mistake in the final selection that Ivan Cleary cannot afford
TOO YOUNG, NOT READY? Winning is all these panthers know – here’s the proof
Many rugby league experts and fans praise the Melbourne captain ahead of his possible resignation.
But there is also a faction in the rugby league that is not too friendly to Smith.
Paul Kent, co-host of NRL 360 and senior journalist for News Corp, explained why the player continues to be upset.
The focus is on the two Premierships, which were removed from Melbourne more than a decade ago due to their fraudulent salary cap.
“Cameron Smith came out two years ago and was actually trying to campaign to get these premierships back given what happened to the Parramatta salary cap scandal,” said Kent.
“The fact is, Cameron signed two contracts and never admitted it.
“Cameron has signed 2 contracts”
0:51
“It’s the lack of honesty there that I think has upset a lot of people, to be honest.”
Fox Sports NRL chief reporter James Hooper wrote a column Wednesday listing 25 reasons Sydney fans don’t like the storm.
Smith was on that list, and Hooper says while his performances on the field are great, there are plenty of reasons some people don’t like the hooker.
“It’s important to point out that he’s an immensely polarizing figure,” said Hooper.
“I can’t think of a player who has been an Australian captain and a Queensland captain. When he retires he will have his fans, but he will also have an army of critics.”
Journalist Lara Pitt argued that Smith’s legacy after his retirement is all-round positive.
“He was a huge hit in the end, and what I’ll remember him as an NSW fan is the misery he piled on the blues,” said Pitt.
“He was always at the top.”
Bellamy wary of panthers
1:33
.
