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Message: [QUOTE="Kooly87, post: 3181996, member: 9326"] I think that is a gross over-simplification. Of course when Smith retires there will very likely be some regression. It simply isn't possible to have perhaps the best player of all time retire and then expect there to be no fallout from that. I'd suggest though that a huge part of Bellamy's success rests on the deeds of Smith, but similarly, I'd suggest a significant portion of Smith's success rests with Bellamy. It's one of those incredibly rare occasions where a player and Coach end up in a near perfect partnership where both are made better by working with the other. I think Alfie, incredible talent that he was, still owes a level of his success to being coached by a guy in Bennett who could recognise his strengths and weaknesses and adjust his approach accordingly. It's not just about Smith though, Melbourne have lost Inglis, then Slater, then Cronk, and shortly of course, they'll lose Smith too. Bellamy could honestly have cut and run two years ago when Slater was already gone and it was apparent Cronk was going too. He didn't though, and I suspect in his mind as much as it was about getting one more title with Smith, he no doubt values his legacy and I suspect like anyone with ego, he would want to leave something at Melbourne that can stand up long after he's gone. He obviously cannot replace Inglis, Slater, Cronk and Smith. These are some of the finest players of the modern era. But I'd suggest in some of the guys he's got coming through, he's probably got the closest he could come to emulating these guys. I certainly know I'd take just about every one of them at Brisbane. I suspect when he walks out of there in 2021 he'll have possibly another title under his belt, but he'll also be leaving behind one of the most exciting and promising playing groups in the competition and it will be up to them and their new Coach to carry the baton at that point. He'll be coming back to Queensland to enjoy a less demanding role closer to his family and honestly, I think after nearly 20 years of doing a simply masterful job, that's a more than fair enough time to walk away without anybody sniping from the sidelines that it was about fear of not being successful anymore. [/QUOTE]

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