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Skipper Smith commits to Storm
Melbourne Storm captain Cam Smith has ended speculation about his future by signing a new five-year deal that will keep him with the NRL club until the end of 2012.
The 25-year-old Australian hooker had a year to run on his contract and opted to extend the deal by another three years.
Smith will stay in Melbourne despite the temptation to return to Queensland after the Gold Coast Titans expressed interest.
Smith joins coach Craig Bellamy, full-back Billy Slater and halves Cooper Cronk and Greg Inglis as key members of the club to sign contract extensions.
"This club has been a major part of my life, they gave me my opportunity in the game and have been very good to me, so to sign the new contract was very satisfying," Smith said in a club statement.
"We've had quite a bit of success here over the past few years, and with Craig re-signing along with Cooper, Greg and a whole host of other players, I don't see why we can't be successful for a few more years yet.
"I spoke with a couple of clubs about my future, but I would have found it very difficult to play against the Melbourne Storm."
Bellamy says it was important that the club's captain and key playmaker remained in Melbourne.
"Cam is without doubt the best hooker in the game, and he is central to how we play, so to have him here for the next four years is a wonderful bonus to the Storm," Bellamy said.
"It would have been impossible to replace Cam with someone of his calibre, both as a player and a leader, so I couldn't be happier with his decision to stay."
Storm chief executive Brian Waldron admitted Smith could have signed elsewhere for more money but opted to stay with the club, which has played in the grand final for the past three seasons.
"I think there's no better place to be playing footy right now than at the Storm," Smith said.
Smith admitted the birth of his daughter Jada earlier this year had made him and wife Barbara seriously consider moving back to south-east Queensland where most of their family are to be closer to their support network.
"My first preference was to be in Melbourne... it was always going to be best for my career to stay here," Smith said.
"With the birth of our first baby Jada early on in the year it was a big factor and we were probably a bit homesick.
"But we had a lot of support from everyone at the club and our ideas on that changed a little bit as the year went on."
-ABC/AAP
Melbourne Storm captain Cam Smith has ended speculation about his future by signing a new five-year deal that will keep him with the NRL club until the end of 2012.
The 25-year-old Australian hooker had a year to run on his contract and opted to extend the deal by another three years.
Smith will stay in Melbourne despite the temptation to return to Queensland after the Gold Coast Titans expressed interest.
Smith joins coach Craig Bellamy, full-back Billy Slater and halves Cooper Cronk and Greg Inglis as key members of the club to sign contract extensions.
"This club has been a major part of my life, they gave me my opportunity in the game and have been very good to me, so to sign the new contract was very satisfying," Smith said in a club statement.
"We've had quite a bit of success here over the past few years, and with Craig re-signing along with Cooper, Greg and a whole host of other players, I don't see why we can't be successful for a few more years yet.
"I spoke with a couple of clubs about my future, but I would have found it very difficult to play against the Melbourne Storm."
Bellamy says it was important that the club's captain and key playmaker remained in Melbourne.
"Cam is without doubt the best hooker in the game, and he is central to how we play, so to have him here for the next four years is a wonderful bonus to the Storm," Bellamy said.
"It would have been impossible to replace Cam with someone of his calibre, both as a player and a leader, so I couldn't be happier with his decision to stay."
Storm chief executive Brian Waldron admitted Smith could have signed elsewhere for more money but opted to stay with the club, which has played in the grand final for the past three seasons.
"I think there's no better place to be playing footy right now than at the Storm," Smith said.
Smith admitted the birth of his daughter Jada earlier this year had made him and wife Barbara seriously consider moving back to south-east Queensland where most of their family are to be closer to their support network.
"My first preference was to be in Melbourne... it was always going to be best for my career to stay here," Smith said.
"With the birth of our first baby Jada early on in the year it was a big factor and we were probably a bit homesick.
"But we had a lot of support from everyone at the club and our ideas on that changed a little bit as the year went on."
-ABC/AAP
