Cameron Smith - greatest NRL era player?

[POPEYE]

Crikey, this thread is like spraying a lawn for worms . . . look at all the f**king grubs popping up

 

[SpaceMonkey]

The fact his career has overlapped perfectly with the wrestle/grapple era on top of the worst period of spineless refereeing in league history has helped him immensely.

If he was playing in the 90s into the early 2000s he would have struggled IMO given his Ritchie McCaw level cheating would have been called out a fair bit more

Funny you compare him to McCaw given that he's pretty much unquestionably the greatest Union player of the same era (arguably ever) for very similar reasons.

 

[carcharias]

Smith would be one of them for sure
I'd say joey was better though...not by much.
He never had the players around him smith had.

 

[Danish]

Funny you compare him to McCaw given that he's pretty much unquestionably the greatest Union player of the same era (arguably ever) for very similar reasons.

It's funny that I made a very apt comparison?

 

[_Johnsy]

Crikey, this thread is like spraying a lawn for worms . . . look at all the f**king grubs popping up

Why, because the voice an opinion you don't agree with. Take a Bex & have a lie down you stupid, cranky old bastard.

 

[blaza88z]

Absolutely not. Not even close. Hes not even the best at his position. Hes good but not great.

assuming you're not taking the piss, who is better?

 

[carcharias]

I would say best dummy half.
locky and johns before him overall though.

 

[Danish]

I'll take Freddy over him too, thanks. The amount of duds Fittler, locky, and Johns gave origin and test careers to over the years is astonishing.

 

[ZEROMISSTACKLES]

assuming you're not taking the piss, who is better?

No I honestly think that he's not the best. Cast your mind BEFORE this years Origin, was he "great" to watch? Does his job, just tackles and passes and kicks most of his kicks over. Then Origin starts and he's mentioned heavily again and in the Origin so far he's only done 2 big attacking plays, one was an assist in the first game and the other was a good dart.

As a Queensland fan, he's huge for us and has been for awhile now but I can't say he's the greatest player of the NRL era.

There's no such thing as the best hooker at the moment. Nearly all NRL hookers are good at their primary roles - pass, tackle, direct and the odd kick. Smith is well rounded but so are many others like Ennis, Peats etc..Luke and Farrah I'd say have better running games..Friend is about even in the kicking game department..

If I someone is the best at a position, you are going to see a CLEAR difference when they're playing. Forget the championships that the TEAM has won, I'm talking individual stand out performances. Smith is good, the teams he plays for might be great.

 

[carcharias]

yeah
running 2 metres and passing it to a ball player is not the same as being the bloke who actually pulls the game out of the fire time and time again.
JT would be better than smith too.

 

[BoatyMcfloatyfloat]

I don't understand what makes Smith so good. Yeah he's a good tackler and can pass. With the odd kick here and there. But is he on par with JT? Hell no. JT will go down as the greatest of any era.

 

[Frankus]

Smith is the most composed and relaxed player I have ever seen play the game. Lockyer was cool under pressure in his later years but Smith has just taken that to a whole new level.

When you factor in Cronk to the Melbourne side, I don't think I've ever seen two players at the same club in such pivotal roles remain so cool, calm and collected throughout their entire careers.

 

[The Marshall]

It would have been very interesting to see if Smith,Slater and Cronk would have been able to carry a team like Johns did at Newcastle. I think they would have struggled and they were lucky to be in era when everything was tailor made to suit the wrestle.

For me its Johns,Lockyer and daylight then the Storm three.

 

[Danish]

Smith is the most composed and relaxed player I have ever seen play the game. Lockyer was cool under pressure in his later years but Smith has just taken that to a whole new level.

When you factor in Cronk to the Melbourne side, I don't think I've ever seen two players at the same club in such pivotal roles remain so cool, calm and collected throughout their entire careers.

Come on mate now you are taking the piss. Lockyer was Mr clutch. The amount of games he has won at the death by taking it by the scruff of the neck and coming up with the miracle play is ridiculous.

Smith hadn't even kicked a field goal his entire career until like 2015.

Cronk is the Storm's clutch player.

 

[DiegoNT]

It's hard to guage just how good any of Melbournes big 3 would be individually if it wasn't for the others. In past year's when Smith has been out Ryan Hinchcliff has slotted into hooker quite comfortably and melbourne don't seem to be that much worse off. In the past 2 year's Slater has missed a lot of football and Melbourne haven't missed a beat with Munster at the back. In fact in with Munster at the back for most of 15 and 16 melbourne look a better team then they did in 13 and 14 with slater. Even though they played origin before hand, Smith and Slater had breakout season's and went to another level in 2006 when cronk was given the Melbourne Halfback role all to himself.

 

[BoatyMcfloatyfloat]

Johnathan Thurston
Daylight
Lewis
Johns

 

[ZEROMISSTACKLES]

It's hard to guage just how good any of Melbournes big 3 would be individually if it wasn't for the others. In past year's when Smith has been out Ryan Hinchcliff has slotted into hooker quite comfortably and melbourne don't seem to be that much worse off. In the past 2 year's Slater has missed a lot of football and Melbourne haven't missed a beat with Munster at the back. In fact in with Munster at the back for most of 15 and 16 melbourne look a better team then they did in 13 and 14 with slater. Even though they played origin before hand, Smith and Slater had breakout season's and went to another level in 2006 when cronk was given the Melbourne Halfback role all to himself.

True and I know you're not suggesting that Melbourne can totally do without the Storm big 3 but simply that they have! Good point.

 

[taxidriver]

Cameron Smith


The greatest NRL era player ever?


Sure we hate him, Queenslander - wrestling expert - best ref since Bill Harrigan - salary cap avoidance skills - plays for Melbourne

But

Played well over 300 games for one club so loyal, plays 80 mins nearly every game even at his age, Australian/ Queensland / Melbourne captain, kicked close to 900 goals

Is it about time we stopped hating him and recognised his contribution to our game?

stop hating him for the merkin of a man he is because he is amongst the best in the modern era?

not me

the guy is a self serving, cheating, scumbag

 

[GongPanther]

Greg Alexander the greatest ever.He was so good,when he played for Aust,Wally Lewis made sure he didn't stand out by ignoring him every time Brandy was backing him up for a pass.

Didn't want Alfies spot under threat.

 

[THE CHAMP]

Greg Alexander the greatest ever.He was so good,when he played for Aust,Wally Lewis made sure he didn't stand out by ignoring him every time Brandy was backing him up for a pass.

Didn't want Alfies spot under threat.

Yep Greg Alexander is the greatest player of all time.
No question