REPORTS: Smith looking at longer deal

Melbourne Storm captain Cameron Smith wants a two-year contract extension, which will see him remain at AAMI Park until the end of 2020.

The two parties seemed to be at odds over the length of the deal, although The Courier-Mail understand Smith isn't ready to retire just yet.

Melbourne have received information from Smith's camp that he would prefer a two-year deal, instead of the 12-month offer the Storm had put in front of the 35-year-old.

Smith is currently the NRL's most-capped player with 384 games to his name, and looks certain to become the first player to reach the 400-game milestone.

“Cameron has been given time off until January and we are in no rush. I have no doubt his new deal will get done in time,” Melbourne's football operations chief Frank Ponissi told The Courier-Mail.

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“There’s no real reason for the hold up. We’re still in negotiations and sometimes contract talks take time, but it’s not a sign that Cam won’t be here.

“I would be very, very surprised if Cameron doesn’t play on.

“Cameron is enjoying his first long break in a long time with no World Cup and representative commitments at the end of the season.

“This is the first real off-season that he’s ever had, so we will let him enjoy the off-season and he will come back in the first week in January.”