Cameron Smith retirement

Author: melbournestorm.com.au
Timestamp: Wed 10 Mar 2021, 02:18 PM

Melbourne Storm’s long-time captain Cameron Smith has decided to end his unmatched rugby league playing career.

The NRL’s record holder for most career games (430) and most career points (2786) announced his retirement in front of his long-time teammates, coaching staff, and friends outside Storm’s home ground at AAMI Park today.

Statues of both Smith and fullback Billy Slater were unveiled following his announcement.

The 37-year-old hooker, who has been Storm captain since 2006, completed a remarkable 19th NRL season with a memorable grand final triumph against Penrith and become the first player to register 300 NRL victories.

His unprecedented list of achievements includes captaining both Australia and Queensland for six seasons, multiple NRL premierships and World Club Challenge titles, two Dally M Medals as Player of the Year and two Golden Boot Awards as international player of the year.

He has won the Storm’s Player of the Year Award eight times, with the latest coming in 2020, and captained his club 327 times.

Such has been his outstanding durability, until the shortened season last year, Smith had played 20 or more games for Storm each season following his debut year in 2002.

He was part of a record 11 State of Origin series victories for Queensland, including the famous eight in a row between 2006 and 2013 when he only missed one of 24 matches.

With the Kangaroos, he won two World Cups and three Four Nations crowns as part of 56 Test appearances.

Storm chairman Matthew Tripp said Smith was an icon of rugby league and would be remembered as the greatest Storm player of all time.

“Cameron is a once in a generation footballer and role model, not only for all Storm and NRL players now and in the future, but for all sports men and women” Tripp said.

“There is no doubt that without Cameron at the Storm, we wouldn’t have experienced the outstanding level of success that we have over his time at the club.

“He has a list of achievements that will be almost impossible to match.

Not only has he been the most influential player in the game over the past two decades, but he is arguably the greatest player of all time and has become a household name throughout our home city of Melbourne and home state of Victoria.
Matt Tripp Storm Chairman

“When this club first started, no-one could have imagined a player having that status south of the NSW border.

“We have been very fortunate to have had him wearing the purple jersey and leading our club for so long and we look forward to sitting down with Cameron in the coming weeks to discuss playing a role with the club in the future”.

“The Smith family are a huge part of the Storm family and we look forward to seeing Barb, their children Jada, Jasper and Matilda, and the wider family here at Storm HQ for many years to come.”