It’s rare in the sporting world that we recognise true greatness when it is upon us.
Yes we celebrate and praise top athletes, but rarely do we fully appreciate a legend, a once-in-a-lifetime player until he is gone.
Cameron Smith in the sport of rugby league is one of those icons still battling away.
Next weekend Smith will make his 50th appearance for Australia, when the Kangaroos take on New Zealand in the Anzac Test. International rugby league is not as lauded as the club game, but it remains a remarkable feat. Only Darren Lockyer, with 59 Tests, has more for the green and gold. 50 Tests is a milestone that demands respect and Smith is certainly a character who has earned that honour.
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Tough, dedicated, articulate, strong, brave, smart, skillful – the hooker is all of these and more. A leader, a captain, a statesman of the NRL, Smith matches on-field and off-field guile. It many ways he is a throwback to the past, an old school player without the tattoos, social media presence or glitz of today’s current crop of stars.
Most importantly the 33-year old is a winner, for his club, his state and his country. He has a trophy cabinet that would impress Lionel Messi. Smith has won two NRL grand finals with the Melbourne Storm and three Dally M medals, given to the best player in the competition each year. He won the Golden Boot award in 2007, given to the best rugby league player in the world, and in 2013 won the World Cup with Australia. In State of Origin with his beloved Queensland he has won a mammoth 10 of the 14 series he has played in.
Apart from his calm, respectful manner that he operates, Smith also amazes with his durability. He rarely misses a game, rarely picks up an injury. Considering where he plays on the field and the amount of work he gets through, it’s amazing. Smith has played 39 Origins, along with his 49 Tests, combined with 343 club games. Soon he will pass Lockyer with the all-time NRL record of 355 games.
The boy from Brisbane is also an ace goal-kicker, amassing 2040 points. To put it in context, the record-holder is Hazem El Masri with 2418.
In a sport of behemoths and gym-enhanced giants, Smith is normal-sized. At 185cm and 92 kilograms, he is not a massive physical specimen like a Greg Inglis or a George Burgess. But he plays above his weight, is an excellent defender and has a huge engine. He might look like an office worker – hence his nickname of ‘the Accountant’ – but he doesn’t play like one.
Cool, calm and collected, Smith never seems to lose his cool. Popular with the media, respected by his peers, when the hooker talks people listens. It was a smart move for the Rugby League Players Association to make him their president. There is no other more respected skipper in the game today. For more than a decade he has been the heartbeat of Melbourne’s, Queensland’s and Australia’s success.
In June Smith turns 34. While it seems like he can player forever, the end his near. There can only be a year or two left in the forward after this one. He will leave a massive hole at the Storm, and for his state and country, when he finally hangs them up.
Cameron Smith, enjoy him while he’s here because you’ll miss him when he’s gone.
