Tackle Count: Leaked email is business as usual

Enter Stan Martin, the manager of Melbourne Storm player Brandon Smith. By way of background ...

League legend Cameron Smith wears the Storm's No.9 jumper. No contest there. But Mr Smith's client Brandon has aspirations as a hooker/dummy-half.

But with Harry Grant back in Craig Bellamy's arms in Melbourne after a stint at the Wests Tigers, it's expected he will pull on that purple No.9 jumper should Cameron Smith retire this season.

Mr Martin reportedly sent the "secret email" shopping the premiership player for the 2022 season, stating the Storm would need to receive back "commensurate compensation".

It went to every NRL club but the Gold Coast Titans. That in itself is odd as there is a belief the ambitious Gold Coasters are allegedly very interested.

Either way, it's how business is done in the NRL in the 21st century. And it's how fan Facebook accounts stay afloat in the off-season - like it or not.

That said, how good is it when a coach calls it out for what it is.

St George Illawarra coach Anthony Griffin said the club is unlikely to make a play for Smith although they have salary cap space to spend.

"It's a nice story, everyone got an email because they're covering their tracks by the sounds of it," he told Big Sports Breakfast.

* This edition of Tackle Count was written by Janine Graham.

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