Maroons' best yet to come: Cameron Smith - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Maroons' best yet to come: Cameron Smith

By Ian McCullough 25/06/2009 04:14:52 PM Comments (0)

Queensland hooker Cameron Smith believes the Maroons have the depth to dominate State of Origin for the next five years.

Smith helped his side to a 24-14 win over NSW on Wednesday to seal a historic fourth successive series win and is confident players coming to the end of their careers such as Darren Lockyer, Steve Price and Petero Civoniceva can be replaced.

"I think we have a great crop of young blokes coming through in the forwards like Ben Hannant and Nate Myles as well as guys who didn't get on the field like Neville Costigan and our 18th man in the first game in Matthew Scott," Smith said.

"We are certainly not short of stocks in the forwards although I would like those older blokes to keep going for as long as they can, they have been tremendous for us this series and the ones before."

Smith, who has played in every game of the last four series, said players like Hannant, Myles and Ashley Harrison have become better footballers by playing alongside Price and Civoniceva.

"There is going to be a time when those boys hang up their boots but the guys are playing with them now are gaining valuable experience and knowledge from them and have learnt a lot," he said.

The Melbourne skipper also believes Queensland's star-studded backline will almost certainly be looked upon as one of the greatest of all time and with Lockyer the only player over 26, the best is yet to come.

"Potentially it could be the best ever, we are fortunate that they are all very young guys ... obviously except for Locky, and I don't know how much longer he is going to play," Smith said.

"In Johnathan Thurston we have a great halfback, we have strong centres and wingers and Billy Slater is the best fullback in the world ... it's looking up for us in the future and there is more to come from these guys.

"However, we have to make sure we don't start relying on guys' reputations of potential, otherwise we will come unstuck, we just have to keep our eyes on our game."

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