Brandon Smith
Introduction
Brandon Smith (born 31 May 1996) is a New Zealand professional rugby league footballer who currently plays for the Melbourne Storm in the National Rugby League. He plays at hooker.
Early life
Born in Waiheke Island, New Zealand, Smith is of Māori descent. He played his junior rugby league for the Waiheke Rams and Bay Roskill Young Guns in New Zealand, and the Centrals Tigers and Brothers in Townsville.
Smith played for the North Queensland Cowboys in the National Youth Competition for two seasons. In May 2016, he played for the Junior Kiwis against the Junior Kangaroos. In September 2016, he was named at hooker in the Team of the Year. In October 2016, he signed a 3-year contract with the Melbourne Storm.
NRL career
2017
On 30 April, Smith was named in the New Zealand national team's 20-man squad for the 2017 Anzac Test. He made his NRL debut for the Storm against the Newcastle Knights in round 13, scoring a try. On 24 July, he signed a contract extension with Melbourne, tying him to the club for another five years with a view to replacing Cameron Smith in the long-term as Melbourne's hooker.