@speed2burn said in Signing Suggestions & Rumours:
@adelaidetiger said in Signing Suggestions & Rumours:
@speed2burn said in Signing Suggestions & Rumours:
Brandon Smith coming out today and saying he wants to play #9 full time
Hmmm
Wish I could quote the full article but shouldn’t be too hard to find … says he doesn’t enjoy playing #13 but will if needed
Actually I think this is the extended version:
Melbourne Storm star Brandon Smith has opened up on the reasons behind his pending release and how coach Craig Bellamy responded to his shock request.
The Storm confirmed in December that Smith had been “given approval to explore opportunities with other NRL clubs” for the 2022 season — the final year of his contract.
It’s understood the Bulldogs, Titans, Broncos and Wests Tigers have all expressed interest in the fiery hooker’s services, however Melbourne will require a player of similar standard in return in order to let him go.
The 24-year-old has played understudy to skipper Cameron Smith ever since he joined in the club in 2017. It was expected he would one day inherit the famous Storm No.9 jersey once his namesake retired but after Harry Grant’s sublime season, the curious case of Melbourne’s next hooker isn’t so clear-cut anymore.
Grant stunned during his 15 games for the Wests Tigers as part of a player swap deal in 2020. He then cemented his superstar status in the game after an incredible performance on debut for Queensland in Game III of last year’s Origin series.
Although Cameron Smith is yet to make any official announcement on his future, he hasn’t returned to pre-season training, leaving the starting hooker role up for grabs and two very capable players vying for it.
The beauty of Brandon Smith is that he can also play lock and at a pinch, prop. However, the Kiwi’s No.9 admitted on Friday that he wants to exclusively play hooker — and that is why he approached the club requesting a release.
“I want to play number nine,” Smith told reporters.
“I’ve found myself becoming accustomed to the 13 jersey, which isn’t a bad thing, the versatility is great, but that’s not what I want to play.
“If I can’t be a nine at this club, I’d love to play nine elsewhere.
“I want to be a long-term number nine and I want to represent my country at number nine and I want to do great things in the game like Cameron Smith has done in the hooker spot.”
While Smith’s versatility is a great asset he revealed the physical demands of playing as a middle forward hold him back from his best at hooker.
“Adjusting to being a 13, it’s not only the position, I can’t be a skinny 13 and get around and not protect myself. I’ve got to put on weight to play 13,” he said.
“It kind of hinders my ability to be a nine because I’m trying to build my body to be a 13 but in reality, I want to be a nine.
“That (was) okay with me while Cameron Smith was there because he deserves that nine spot and he’s the greatest number nine to this day.
“But it’s a great opportunity for me to fight for a number nine spot and if that’s not the case and doesn’t go to plan, I’ll be trying to find an opportunity to go elsewhere.
“I got down to 93 (kilos) playing 13 a couple of seasons ago and it wasn’t great. I felt fast but I felt like I was getting thrown around a bit more than usual. I usually play around 97-98 kilos.
“But if I was to be a nine for instance I’d be about 92 kilos. That’s a big difference in weight, I’m playing nine against Parramatta at (98 kilos), which is not ideal but you make do.”
Smith had a tough run with injuries last season. He sustained a facial fracture in the All Stars game only to play through it and be name man of the match. Later in the year he suffered a broken jaw after a high shot from Eels forward Marata Niukore.
Keeping in mind the brutality of playing week-in, week-out as a middle forward and the growing concern over his longevity, Smith knows that his future is at hooker and he will do whatever it takes to play there — even if that means changing clubs.
Over the off-season Smith reached out to Bellamy — who he says was “sunbathing” at the time of the call — to discuss his desires of being a starting NRL hooker.
Despite Bellamy’s hard exterior and casual blow-ups in the coaches box, Smith says the heart-to-heart went smoothly.
“It wasn’t a hard conversation. I just said how I felt and he respected my decision.
“Me and him didn’t see the point in me getting a release this year when that spot’s still up for grabs. He said that he’s not just going to give the number nine spot to Harry, or give it to me, we’ve both got to go out there and take it.”
“Stuff like that with Craig, it’s not so much a hard thing to talk to him about.
“He’s one of those coaches you can have hard conversations with and not worry about he’s going to do. He’s never going to yell at you, that’s not what Craig’s about.
“That’s why we respect him and he respects us.”
