‘Years to come’: Munster eyes lengthy Maroons future
Joel Gould |
Cameron Munster has no plans of retiring from representative football to concentrate on club commitments like three of his idols of the past did.
Wednesday’s State of Origin decider at Suncorp Stadium is the 31-year-old’s 24th match for the Maroons with no immediate end in sight.
The Queensland captain, who has also played 15 Tests for Australia, shone on his Origin debut at No.6 in the 2017 decider when he replaced the injured Johnathan Thurston in a 22-6 win at Suncorp Stadium.
Thurston subsequently retired from representative football at the end of that season, while it was also Cameron Smith and Cooper Cronk’s last game for the Maroons.
Thurston, Smith and Cronk – who Munster said lit a fire in him to “run through a brick wall” for the Maroons – continued their NRL careers in 2018 but did not play for Queensland again.
Every player has different circumstances, but Munster said at this stage he did not envisage calling time on rep footy while still playing NR:L for Melbourne.
“It’s probably something I’ll worry about in years to come,” he said.
“There’s no sugar coating it, we’ve got some good kids coming through, so as long as I’m still playing consistent and good footy it’s my own decision.
“The game’s getting faster, but the minute I start not wanting to compete and put myself in the picture for certain things, that’s when I know I’ll pull it up. But at this stage of my career, I’m not going to give up the captaincy unless it’s taken from me.”
That’s not likely to occur but Munster, who was made captain after former skipper Daly Cherry-Evans was dropped after game one last year, said it was up to current coach Billy Slater.
“If Bill thinks there’s a better person, or a better leader than me, then Bill’s going to decide what he has to decide,” he said.
“But for me, it’s in my own hands at the moment.”
Last year’s player of the Origin series Tom Dearden, who can play No.6 or No.7, has missed the 2026 campaign with injury while half Sam Walker has been a revelation in his debut Origin series.
“You’ve got Tommy Dearden and other guys breathing down our necks, it’s up to me and Sammy to deliver on the big stage. If we can do that, then unfortunately someone’s going to miss out,” Munster said.
“As long as I’ve got the ‘c’ next to my name and am still playing good footy, then I can’t see why I can’t keep playing in the Maroons jersey.
“It’s a privilege to wear the jersey, you don’t own it, and whoever’s wearing that jersey has to do everything they can for Queensland.”
AAP