Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy has suggested that Cameron Smith may not keep playing in 2020.
Smith missed Wednesday night's Dally M Awards due to illness, only a few days after stating that he would consider whether he wants to play on over the off-season.
After Saturday night's loss to the Sydney Roosters, Smith said that he was interested in playing next year but is still uncertain.
"My thoughts all year have been to play on next year. That’s probably where I’m at at the moment," he said.
"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."
The skipper won his eighth hooker of the year award and fell only three points short of James Tedesco for the 2019 Dally M Medal.
Smith was also named as the captain of the year. In his absence, Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy spoke on stage, admitting that the No.9 may not be around next year.
"Two or three weeks ago I was pretty confident he would play again next year," said Bellamy.
"But on Mad Monday and sometimes you are affected by a couple of drinks but perhaps he might not have been thinking that way.
"I think it is still up in the air to be quite honest, which is a little bit disappointing.
"I think he can certainly go on for another 12 months and he is certainly playing well enough.
"As the guys that retired this year in Paul Gallen, Robbie Farah and Cooper Cronk they all have things that they want to do in their lives after footy.
"Sometimes you have got to pick that time.
"The one thing about Cameron we won’t be telling him when it is time. He will make that decision and we will back him all the way."
Smith is the record holder for NRL appearances with 411 games for the Storm.
He has another year left on his deal, but Smith has considered his future before, hinting at retirement at the end of the 2017 and 2018 seasons too.
FFS, Smith just go already.
Something happened to Smith 3 weeks ago, I don’t know what it was or who it was but something pretty awful happened. I noticed it in the Eels game. He had a face like a slapped ar se from the moment he stepped on the field, his slapping of another player was out of character, he would normally have just have milked it for a penalty given a ref was standing over him. He hit 1 goal out of 9 attempts that night and was way off his game. He really looked like he did not want to be there.
Bellamy’s statement lines up with that Eels game. I don’t know what it was or if we will ever know but for someone hounded by the media constantly, it must have been pretty big.
Ole Bellyache have a lookatah. No its not a stroke shes havin in that pic, shes biting the inside of her cheeks in that pic. Signs of a person with deep seated psychological problems. But that’s always evident when watching her reactions in the coaches box. Good value though.
Panthers18. What’s with all the Smith hate? The blokes a total machine. Love him or hate him I recon its great to watch games where he is involved. I hope he goes around again.
I would hate to see him go out like this and I hope he does go around again if only to enjoy all the plaudits he has most surely earned. Is it a genuine illness that kep’t him away from the Dally M’s or something more psychological ?
What ever, I hope he decides to give whatever caused this a poke in the eye by going round one last time.
No joke rucky. You might be onto something.
I don’t want to open old wounds, but a few years ago storm were playing manly and Smith was just terrible. Never seen him so perplexed. Storm still done enough to win the game except Smith had the easiest conversion to ice the game and missed a sitter and Manly ended up winning.
A couple of days later the salary cap rubbish broke.
He mind wasn’t in the game.
Hope its nothing like that again screamingeagle, what us Storm fans went through that year and to an extent still go through over that was unbelievable.
If smith retires and bellamy gets the storm in the top 4 without him I would have to admit he is a genius coach then.
People have short memories; this is exactly what Smith did last year after the grand final. It wasn’t until the start of the 2019 season when it became clear that he will play on. Smith will play on in 2020.