Queensland great Cameron Smith has put a line through an Origin return amid recent talks that he should come out of retirement.

The 35-year old has been in sensational form over the first seven rounds of the season, sitting second in the Dally M voting behind teammate Cameron Munster.

And while there have been calls for Smith to fill the leadership void at the Maroons following injuries to Daly Cherry-Evans and Jake Friend, he has no intention of returning to the representative stage.

โ€œMy thoughts on Origin now havenโ€™t changed from the day I decided to finish up,โ€ Smith told The Daily Telegraph.

โ€œI was fortunate to have my time at that level. Now itโ€™s time for the younger Queenslanders to take that jersey and represent our great state and do what they do best.

โ€œCreate a bit of history for themselves and their own story. Iโ€™m not too sure how this has got any momentum at all to be fair. Itโ€™s just come out of no where. Iโ€™ve got no intention at all to be available for Origin.

โ€œIโ€™m finished in that space of my career. I really enjoyed my time there. Unfortunately things come to an end. My time as an Origin player is now finished.โ€

Storm coach Craig Bellamy has given Smith his "blessing" to play Origin, however, the star hooker has admitted to not having the same desire to represent Queensland as he once did.

โ€œIf I was back there I would still enjoy it,โ€ Smith said.

โ€œI remember talking about the reasons why I finished up. That was because I just donโ€™t feel like I can (fulfil) the extra commitments on top of my club and family commitments. Itโ€™s just something Iโ€™m willing to do now.

โ€œMy love and passion for Queensland and the Maroons team will never change. That will always be there but my desire to play and be part of it is not there anymore.โ€

7 COMMENTS

  1. Haha.

    Smith definitively explained to Bellamy that he would never play origin again, then Bellamy goes to the media to say he would fully support Smith if he returned to origin.

    You’re so compassionate Bellamy. LOL.

  2. Itโ€™s all about Cameron as per usual…. guess he doesnโ€™t want to look bad when they lose and life was so much easier for him when he had Slater, Cronk, GI, Thurston, Holmes to help him out….

    Or is he worried that Brandon Smith will kill it and the Storm would look great without him when heโ€™s away for origin ๐Ÿค”๐Ÿค”๐Ÿค”

  5. Cameron Smith is only in this game now for 1 thing, Cameron Smith! Who cares if he has earned it, if you bleed Maroon you do what you can to help. He still plays NRL so he can still play origin.
    It is because itโ€™s not a walk up win like in the past, thatโ€™s why he walked out last year, knowing it would be too difficult to win, so retire at the top. Itโ€™s all about his legacy and stats, and unfortunately that is what makes you an immortal in future times, your stats.
    Not the fact that he had 2 of the best players of this era playing with him, not that most of the accolades should go to others, his stats will show he is great.
    We who got to watch will remember his โ€œGamesmanshipโ€. We will call BS if he gets there before GI, or Thurston, both making him look extraordinary, when great is all he was. And there are slot of great players in this era.

    Selfish little ear badger.

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