Brad Fittler has done it. Alfie Langer has done it. Cameron Smith won’t.
If the former Test and Maroons skipper is to return for Origin III, it’ll come as a shock on the level of Michelle Payne and Prince of Penzance.
As good as Ben Hunt has been – and he has been very good, probably Queensland’s best – Cameron Smith could be a genuine matchwinner for the Maroons
“Plenty of people are calling for it – I was one of those people straight after the game because I think because he’s a guy that solve a lot of problems for Queensland,” The Australian’s Brent Read told Sporting News.
“But it just doesn’t make sense.
“If it was at Suncorp Stadium and they were coming off a better result I think there’d be a bit of hope. At ANZ Stadium, 70,000-80,000 Blues fans and coming off a 38-6 loss; Cam’s not that silly.”
Even if Kevin Walters makes the call – and he definitely will – there’s a looming milestone that throws a huge spanner in the works.
Smith’s 400th game.
On July 13, only three days after Origin III, the Storm take on the Sharks at AAMI Park.
It’s almost too perfect. Melbourne’s fiercest rivals, who rolled the Storm in the 2016 grand final and as recently as round 8 took down the Storm in a spicy clash with a bits and pieces side.
“A lot of stuff has been planned around that game; celebrations and plans to honour Cam Smith,” Read said.
“If something were to go pear-shaped in Origin III, that’s a huge setback.”
While Smith hasn't been as hands on as former stars Johnathan Thurston and Justin Hodges, he was in camp for Origin I to assist Ben Hunt.
"He's the smartest hooker in the competition, we need to use those smarts," Walters told Channel 9 at the time.
"Even though he's not on the field, we'll be using those smarts throughout the week to get the best advantage for this Queensland team.
Smith has been in vintage form for the Storm, sitting on 12 Dally M points - just three behind leader Mitchell Pearce.
While deferring to Walters, Origin legend Wally Lewis is a fan of a Smith return.
“The one thing that’s blatantly obvious is that game three won’t be easy,” Lewis said.
“(NSW) will be carrying a fair bit of confidence into this game.”
Smith signed a two-year deal in January.
Is he good enough? Definitely. Will he play? Almost certainly not.
