Brisbane Brincos legend Darren Lockyer has urged the Brisbane Broncos to do everything they can to get Cameron Smith to the club.
Lockyer’s call comes as the Brisbane Broncos struggle this season and look to be in danger of missing the finals series.
The Melbourne Storm recently started to negotiate with Smith to keep him at the club through to the end of his playing career.
Smith is one of the best leaders in Rugby League and universally respected. He is the captain of the Melbourne Storm, Queensland Maroons and Australian Kangaroos and one of the first players you’d select if you were building a club.
At 30 years of age, Smith is showing no signs at all of slowing down. In the past not of many hookers played much quality football beyond the age of 30. While Smith does have a lot of mileage in his legs, especially when you take into account all of the representative football he has played, I tend to think Smith will be the best hooker in the game for a number of years to come.
If the Broncos could get him it would obviously be a huge boost to the club. I’d be surprised if Smith ever left the Storm though.
The Storm know better than anyone how much Smith means to a club. I would suggest that the Storm will not only offer Smith a very nice contract to play out his career at the club, but that they will also look to manoeuvre him towards a coaching role with the club when his playing career has finished.
I also think that Smith, Cooper Cronk and Billy Slater were all very aware early on in their careers that they could achieve very special things if they all stuck together at the same club. I can’t see them breaking up now at this stage of their careers. Together they keep the Storm as a premiership threat every single season. I think that means a lot to these three players.
There is no doubt the Brisbane Broncos need to look at signing a few stars over the next few seasons. While they keep being linked to Ben Barba, their lack of real leaders in the halves and out of hooker is really hurting the club.
I was shocked that the Broncos didn’t make a huge offer for Johnathan Thurston when he was on the market. I’m shocked that they haven’t made an offer to Benji Marshall that is simply too good to refuse.
When Darren Lockyer retired Peter Wallace was left to guide the Broncos around the park. The club added Scott Prince to the side for this season, and it’s fair to say that has been a terrible move. The Broncos have not really been to keen on handing any of up their juniors a start in the halves for a number of years now, which is a concern. Changes need to be made somewhere though and as far as Lockyer is concerned, that needs to happen with a big signing.
What ever happens, the Broncos need major changes to their lineup, and they are running out of time to do it. Anthony Griffin doesn’t have another year like this in his Broncos coaching care left. If he doesn’t take on board Darren Lockyers advice, he might lose his job to the former Broncos champion.
