Smith says Storm success is no surprise
Melbourne Storm skipper Cameron Smith could have been forgiven for arriving at NRL pre-season training and thinking the club was in for a very long year.
Although not as long as last year.
Nothing could compare to 2010 when the club was rocked to the core by the exposure of massive, systematic salary cap cheating.
Among the severe penalties were the loss of two premierships, being forced to play for no points and shed a number of their stars including Greg Inglis.
Replacing the Test centre and other salary cap victims at pre-season training were a mixed bunch - mostly rookies, fringe players and discards, unwanted by other NRL clubs.
But Smith didn't lose faith.
"At no time was I looking at our squad and thinking we're going to struggle this year," Smith said.
Fast-forward six months, he has been proven right with Melbourne back in a familiar position at the top of the NRL competition ladder with 12 wins from 16 games.
With 10 weeks of the season to go Melbourne appear headed for another grand final appearance.
They only thing that could derail the mission is a tough run home, with seven of the final 10 games away, or a major injury to their world's best "spine" - Smith, halfback Cooper Cronk and fullback Billy Slater.
"I'm not overly surprised in where we are but in saying that, I'm not getting too carried away with us being on top of the ladder," the captain said.
"I knew the guys that we bought in, particularly the more experienced guys, I knew that they were good footballers and under the coaching of Craig (Bellamy) that they'd excel down here in Melbourne.
"I haven't seen too many players come through our system, and not have successful seasons.
"If they were on board with what we are about they were always a chance of playing really well."
Smith believes coach Bellamy deserves plenty of praise for his unrivalled ability to turn players unwanted by other clubs into world-beaters.
Journeyman forwards Adam Woolnough, Troy Thompson and Jaiman Lowe, centre Maurice Blair and Fijian winger Sisa Waqa are the latest to benefit from a Bellamy make-over.
There's no magic formula.
"He just tries to teach the guys very basic things and they're the small things that make players play really well and play consistently well," Smith explained.
"You probably see guys out on the field that are trying to do big plays and play fancy but our club's not about that.
"You hear him all the time talk about small things or one percenters, that's what we're about, making sure you're doing them well every week.
"It's a very simple message that he gives to everyone, that it's a simple role that everyone has to do and they do it the best they can every week and that's why we win games."
The Storm players are big on their structures, systems and on culture - with high achievers like Smith, and fellow Test stars Slater and Cronk leading by example on and off the paddock.
They're all about hard work and team work and there's no place in Melbourne for a player whose ethic doesn't match that philosophy.
Smith said it was too early to talk about winning another premiership - one that can't be taken away.
"That's a big call, there's still 10 rounds to go," he said.
"We're playing with a great attitude at the moment and defensively we're very good but we need to improve our attack."
Sure Smith's happy with their ladder position, but like he said, he didn't think it was going to be any other way.
"We always expect the best out of ourselves and I always thought that the way I saw the guys train at the start of the year, their attitude towards learning the culture that we have at the club, I knew that if we maintained that through the season, that we'd be in a good position."
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