Cameron Munster may have added another zero to his contract after the in-demand five-eighth won the Storm’s player of the year award for the second time.
The 28-year-old becomes the first recipient of the newly-named Cameron Smith player of the year award to honour the Storm legend who was crowned Melbourne’s best player a record seven times during his illustrious career.
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Munster last won the award in 2018, with halves partner Jahrome Hughes taking it out last year.
It’s a not-so-subtle reminder to Storm officials just how important the playmaker is, with rival clubs able to enter the bidding war from November 1 to secure his services from 2024 onwards.
The Maroons five-eighth polled 33 votes at the Storm this season, finishing six clear of Harry Grant after he picked up 10 votes in a dominant four-week stretch from rounds 20-23.
Melbourne desperately want to keep Munster who debuted at the club in 2014 and produced some of the best footy of his career after a tumultuous finish to last season that saw him embroiled in the white powder scandal.
He returned to the club fitter than ever before and ended the year at fullback as coach Craig Bellamy searched for a saviour to replace the injured Ryan Papenhuyzen.
Munster, who also won the members’ player of the year award, is going to be one of the hottest players on the open market after he turned down several long-term offers from Storm officials.
The Dolphins are reportedly willing to offer him one of the biggest deals on record, and his value will only increase if he finishes in the top three in Dally M voting.
The Storm have already lost a core quartet of forwards to rivals clubs, while playmaker Cooper Johns hasn’t had his contract renewed.
Building around Munster and Hughes is the ideal scenario for Melbourne, who have also signed Grant and Papenhuyzen to lengthy deals.
Those two took out forward and back of the year, with Papenhuyzen sharing the award with Nick Meaney despite only playing 12 matches this season.
But signing Munster is Melbourne’s biggest challenge as the club looks to bounce back from their worst finish since 2014 in what could be Bellamy’s last season in charge.
