Cameron Munster feels the future is bright at the Melbourne Storm with or without skipper Cameron Smith.
Signing a four-year extension with the NRL powerhouse that ties him to the club until 2023, star playmaker Munster believes Smith won’t be far behind him inking a fresh deal.
He says the Storm and Smith are close to finalising terms and they will do the deal when the captain returns from an overseas family holiday.
Regardless, Munster feels the next wave of players coming through will ensure the Storm continue their run of success which has included appearances in the last three grand finals.
He admitted it was a big transition after losing Cooper Cronk to the Sydney Roosters at the end of 2017 and now Billy Slater but had confidence in the youth in the squad.
“I’m really excited for the new crop of players coming through – we’ve got some good young talent coming into the team,” Munster said on Thursday.
“We’ve got (Scott) Drinkwater, Ryan Papenhuyzen, some good young halves as well.
“It will be a big hole for us but I’m confident with the roster we’ve got.”
Munster said given he would be 29 when his contract expired he hoped he could call himself a one-club player, signing at least one more deal with Melbourne to see out his NRL career..
“It would be nice to be a one-club man but it’s a business so if you’re not performing well clubs will let you go,” he said.
“The Storm have put their faith in me for the next five years so I need to repay that and play some good footy to stay as a one-club man.”
After a stellar season, Munster had a shocker in their 21-6 grand final loss to the Sydney Roosters, with the Australian and Queensland representative sinbinned twice.
Munster said he hadn’t watched a replay, and probably wouldn’t.
“My old roommate Joey (Stimson) watched it and said to me, ‘I wouldn’t bother’,” he said.
“I replay everything in my head from the game.
“I know when I’ve played well and when I’ve played and that was a night to forget.”