Selwood and Smith say a storm is coming

TWO champions from two different football codes spoke about their longevity in the game as they promoted a NRL pre-season game to be held in Geelong next month.

The Melbourne Storm will play the New Zealand Warriors at GMHBA Stadium on February 22, which will bring the elite rugby league to Geelong for the first time in six years.

Storm captain Cameron Smith and Geelong Cats captain Joel Selwood held a joint press conference at the stadium on Friday, and both veterans expressed their appreciation for the other’s code and their long careers in it (Smith has played 384 NRL games, Selwood 272 AFL games).

Smith said he was excited to see the younger Storm players in action on February 22, though he was unsure of his inclusion in the squad as the Storm had another trial game the following week against the Cowboys.

“We’ve been in the area for the past two weeks – we’ve been training at Geelong Grammar, which has been ongoing for about four years.

“Being able to keep the entire squad together for a two-week period certainly helps bring the group closer together.”

Selwood said Smith rightly deserved to be approaching the 400-game milestone.

“The way that he prepares – it’s not only the games he’s played with the Storm, but his international duties and State of Origin duties too; he’s playing up to 35 games a year. It’s a huge effort but it’s a credit to him that he prepares the right way.

“It gives us hope to us young 30-year-olds that there’s still plenty of time in the game!”