Cameron Smith’s desire to mentor Melbourne’s next generation of stars could be the driving force for him to play another NRL season as he weighs up a possible retirement.
Smith refused to guarantee that he’d take up an option in his contract to extend his career into a 19th season after Saturday night’s preliminary final loss to the Sydney Roosters.
Instead, the veteran hooker confirmed he’d spend the beginning of the off-season deciding whether he wanted to play on in 2020 beyond his 37th birthday.
The Storm captain is yet to speak to coach Craig Bellamy about the situation, with the scenario mimicking that of the past two summers.
“I don’t know (if I’ll play on),” Smith said.
“Just thinking about the result tonight. Obviously very disappointed. We wanted to go one extra week.
“My thoughts all year have been to play on next year. That’s probably where I’m at at the moment.
“But that might change over the next little period where I have got some time off to think about some things and weigh up what’s happening next year.
“You’ve got to let the emotion simmer down a little bit. Because you don’t want to go making rash decisions off the back of a difficult result”.
Without confirming it though, Smith has given every indication he’ll go again.
He maintains he still has a passion for the game, which was a determining factor when he first opted against retirement at the end of 2017.
The hooker still believes he can deliver for Melbourne, after he was again among the game’s best in 2019.
And he is now reinvigorated by the added challenge of guiding through Melbourne’s young guns as the only remaining member of the old guard.
“It is (a driving factor),” Smith said.
“The injection of a lot of youth and inexperienced players into the club over two or three years has given me a bit of an extra bounce in my step.
“Just trying to help these guys evolve into consistent first graders.
“It’s been a different role for me during the games but during the weeks too. It’s almost like I have been a bit of a coach to those fellas.”
Bellamy also said he would leave the decision for the former Queensland and Kangaroos star to make without his influence.
If Smith was to retire immediately, it would mean the finest player of the generation would not have a farewell match due to the sudden decision.
But Bellamy said that constant criticism of him in Sydney meant he hoped it wouldn’t be in NSW anyway.
“He’s not going to get any raps up here,” Bellamy said.
“All he gets is brick bats up here. Hopefully his last game is in Brisbane or Melbourne.”
