news corp Journalist Phil Rothfield fears that if Cameron Munster leaves the Storm, the club will be in a “serious decline.”
Munster is contracted to the Storm until the end of 2023 but from November 1 rival clubs can officially table the star five-eighth offers.
The Dolphins, who join the competition next year, have made their interest in Munster no secret, however even if they were to land him it won’t be until 2024 with the 27-year-old reiterating his commitment to the Storm in July.
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Munster, nor his manager Braith Anasta, have given any indication of where the Queensland Origin star’s future lays beyond next season.
But Rothfield suggested on NRL 360 that the Storm could not afford losing Munster.
Asked if the Storm are on a decline off the back mixed form this season, Rothfield said: “Depends what happens with Cameron Munster.
“If Munster leaves I think they are definitely in a serious decline. If he stays, I know they’ve lost a couple of forwards but I think they’ll be OK if Cameron stays,” he added.
The Storm will farewell Brandon Smith, Felise Kaufusi and the Bromwich brothers at the end of the season with the former joining the Roosters and the others joining the Dolphins.
fellow news corp Journalist Michael Carayannis acknowledged that losing Kaufusi and the Bromwich brothers shouldn’t hurt the Storm too much.
“I think some of the forwards they’re losing are at the right age to lose them,” he said.
“They’re going to be hard to replace and they’ve given them great service but they’re in the back end of their careers.”
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However NRL 360 host Anasta believes this next chapter “is the biggest test in their history.”
“We just spoke about their success over a long time, this is going to be their biggest challenge and I think they’re a little bit worried about that,” Anasta said.
“Every other year, over the past couple of decades, they’ve had the depth in the club, they’ve had leaders there, they’ve had successful players that can carry them through this.”
Paul Kent added: “And Craig Bellamy only has one more year.”
Bellamy signed a five-year extension in 2021 that allows him to decide each season whether he will continue as head coach or move into a coaching director role.
In May Bellamy, who has steered the club to three premierships, committed to coaching again in 2023.
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