Cameron Smith accused of ripping off Channel Nine by working for Queensland’s State of Origin team

Cameron Smith is accused of ripping off Channel Nine by working for Queensland’s Origin team when he was being paid to commentate

  • Smith is Maroons assistant coach 
  • Gave Queensland team halftime talk 
  • Was member of Nine’s Origin panel at the time 

Queensland Origin legend Cameron Smith has been accused of not giving Channel Nine value for money after he made a halftime speech to the Maroons instead of commentating at the year’s first State of Origin game on Wednesday night.

While his colleagues dissected the first half of the match, Smith was filmed addressing coach Billy Slater’s team in the dressing room as he revved them up for what turned out to be a miraculous 40 minutes of action.

Those scenes prompted prominent footy expert Phil Rothfield to ask whether the former Storm hooker’s dual roles represented a ‘conflict of interest’.

Smith is pictured giving Queensland a rev-up at halftime – even though he was being paid to commentate for Nine on Wednesday night

Smith and Queensland coach Billy Slater (pictured together) are both Nine commentators, with the pair sharing deep and longstanding ties to the Maroons

Smith and Queensland coach Billy Slater (pictured together) are both Nine commentators, with the pair sharing deep and longstanding ties to the Maroons

‘How can you have a man working in the Channel 9 commentary box and coaching the Maroons at the same time?’ he wrote.

‘Surely you can’t double dip and do two jobs on the one night.’

Asked on the telecast about what he said to the players, Smith explained what he stressed to the side.

‘I was just applauding the side for their efforts, particularly on their goal line defence in the first half,’ he said. 

‘NSW spent plenty of time and there was plenty of tackles inside the Maroons 20-metre zone.

‘I was just reiterating what the coaches said just before I got in there.’

Smith’s ties to Slater and the Maroons are longstanding and extremely strong.

While other Nine pundits have worked Origin games while also working for one of the sides involved - like NSW assistant coach Andrew Johns - none have broken off from their commentary duties mid-game to help their team out like Smith did

While other Nine pundits have worked Origin games while also working for one of the sides involved – like NSW assistant coach Andrew Johns – none have broken off from their commentary duties mid-game to help their team out like Smith did

The pair starred on the field for Queensland during their golden run of wins over NSW from the early 2000s to 2017, while at the same time leading the Melbourne Storm to an incredibly successful stretch in the NRL.

Smith was widely referred to as an NRL coach in waiting when he retired at the end of the 2020 season, and became an assistant coach with Queensland last year.

While other members of Nine’s commentary team have covered Origin for Nine while being involved in coaching at interstate level – such as NSW assistant Andrew Johns – they haven’t carried out their duties for their team during a broadcast.

Smith’s address obviously hit the right notes as Queensland stormed back from 18-16 down through late tries to Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and Cameron Munster to run out 26-18 winners – with both of those scores coming while they were a man down courtesy of Thomas Flegler’s controversial sin binning.  

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