Cameron Smith has got tongues wagging after he was seen addressing Queensland players at half time during the Maroons’ famous Game 1 victory.
Smith has been Queensland coach Billy Slater’s top lieutenant this Origin series alongside a star-studded coaching brains trust of Josh Hannay, Johnathan Thurston and Nate Myles.
Slater was widely praised for his genius coaching in last year’s surprise series win over NSW — but the sight of Smith being the one addressing the team at half time has got some fans raising their eyebrows.
Dressing room footage at half time showed Smith speaking to players while Slater sat and listened.
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Smith, however, downplayed the significance of his role in the 26-18 win and said on Nine he was only reinforcing what Slater had already told the players.
Paul Vautin said it looked like Smith was “doing all the talking”.
Smith responded: “I was reiterating what the coaches said before I got in.
“I asked the team to be better at their first three tackles. When we kicked down in New South Wales’ territory. We were coming back against Tedesco, Crichton. Brian To’o, just to be better those first three tackles because if we controlled the momentum, we can control the later plays with Cleary and Luai and Isaah Yeo getting involved. The one thing you cannot question from this side is their commitment to each other and their commitment to the jersey and their commitment to the State of Queensland and people watching at home.”
Smith was also asked early in the second half about his role in the Queenslans sheds after he resumed his commentary role with Channel 9.
He said his message was “more about resilience on the try-line”.
Andrew Johns said Smith was lying about what he’d really told the Queensland players.
When asked is he believed what Smith said, Johns said “Na”.
Smith’s role as a commentator and member of the Queensland coaching staff has led to many questions with some fans calling for him to stand down from his TV role while he continues to coach Queensland.
Blues icon Johns has been a long-term coaching consultant and adviser to recent NSW coaches and has been able to juggle the two roles.
There can be no denying there was magic in whatever Slater and Smith said to the players as Queensland pulled off one of the most courageous Origin wins in recent memory.
Queensland great Vautin described it as one of the greatest wins in Origin history.
“This Origin game gets better every year,” he said on Nine.
“That’s one of the greatest wins I’ve ever seen from the Queensland team. They lost a player after 20 minutes in Tom Gilbert, they had one of the worst sin bins I’ve ever seen in my life. They lost another play for 10 minutes and in that 10 minutes, they scored two tries. It’s an outstanding effort. They won on the defence and defence wins Origins.”
At least Smith wasn’t in the referees’ dressing room at half time.
