Melbourne Storm icon Cameron Smith has named the Wests Tigers as the team which should make a play for the reportedly attainable Parramatta Eels captain Clint Gutherson.
Smith is of the belief Gutherson could attract big money, especially from a team such as the Tigers who are in need of a major leadership presence.
The 430-gamer and former Australian, Queensland and Melbourne Storm skipper spoke on SEN 1170 Breakfast on Thursday about the potential fit.
"The fans have got to understand, your value is whatever someone's willing to pay you," Smith said.
"If there's a club out there that's desperate for a consistent player like Clint Gutherson, who does a lot of great work off the ball, he's not the flashy type like a [Ryan] Papenhuyzen or a [James] Tedesco, he's a completely different player, but what he brings is consistency.
"He's very fit, he works hard, he seems like a very good leader, he's the captain of Parramatta, he could bring a lot to a club that’s looking for a leader.
"If someone like the Tigers wanted a player like Gutherson, and I think he'd be great for the Tigers, he's worth whatever they're willing to pay him."
Smith claims Gutherson would add just as much off-field gain as on-field.
"Big name players aren't just paid for their ability on the field," Smith said.
"That money goes in to attracting other players to come in alongside those guys.
"It comes with the ability they have to help the players away from the field and their ability to mix in corporate sponsors and handle media and all of those types of things."
Despite all this, Smith still urged Gutherson to work out an arrangement with the Eels.
"If I was 'Gutho', I would ring the Parramatta CEO and say, 'Mate, cut it out … I'm the captain of the place, let's work this out and keep it out of the media'," he said.
Gutherson is contracted through 2022, but is free to start contacting rival clubs from November 1 this year.
Sam Ayoub is the one creating all the drama and dragging it through the media.