Melbourne Storm legend Cameron Smith says everything is pointing in the direction of Cameron Munster continuing his career away from the club following next season.
The star has been heavily courted by expansion franchise the Dolphins, with Munster previously stating that no decision would be made while the Storm remained alive in this year’s finals series.
After Melbourne went down to the Raiders in Saturday’s elimination final, a decision is imminent on the 28-year-old’s future.
“The longer this goes on, you get the feeling that he won’t be at the Melbourne Storm beyond 2023, that’s my gut feeling,” the NRL games record holder told SENQ Breakfast.
“He’s a premiership player at that footy club, he’s been there for quite some time, and he’s done some wonderful things for the organisation. If he wanted to be there, and there was no question about leaving … then why hasn’t Cameron Munster signed? That’s my take on it.
“The longer it goes on and the longer you don’t see a signature from Cameron Munster for the Melbourne Storm, I start to think, 'well I don’t think he’ll be there'.”
Munster remains contracted to the Storm for season 2023, with Smith seeing him as unlikely to skip town a year early.
“Unless the Melbourne Storm are willing to give him up, that’s the only thing,” he added.
“But then whatever club he goes to, and it looks as though if he is to leave the Melbourne Storm it will be with the Dolphins, then the Dolphins have got to come up with a package for the Melbourne Storm for them to release Cameron Munster for next season as well.
“There’s a lot of different things that need to happen for Munster not to be at the Melbourne Storm next year. He’s come out and said that he’s committed to the Storm and (that) he’ll be playing in Melbourne Storm colours in 2023, I just don’t know whether he’ll be there beyond that.”
The Storm’s general manager of football Frank Ponissi insists Munster will remain at the Storm in 2023, but obviously a decision still has to be made on his future thereafter.
“We’re confident that he’ll stay but there’s no guarantees that he will stay,” Ponissi said on Sportsday.
“November 1 is the deadline in terms of that’s when he can go on the open market. We’ve still got six weeks or so before that decision needs to be made.
“Irrespective, by the time we kick off our pre-season we will know exactly where Cameron Munster will be in 2024.
“There’s absolutely no speculation or doubt that he will be a Melbourne Storm player in 2023. We’re talking about the season of 2024.
“His future is well and truly set here for 2023.”