Brandon Smith 'quite upset' by Storm exit reports

Cameron Smith says his Storm protege and namesake Brandon sought him out and was "quite upset" at suggestions he wanted to walk out on the club following the skipper's re-signing for another two years.

Reports emerged two weeks ago that the 22-year-old New Zealand Test hooker was unhappy with Smith's surprise decision to extend his tenure at Melbourne until the end of 2020, meaning a longer apprenticeship than anticipated for the rising star.

Brandon Smith is contracted to the Storm for another four seasons, and has long been groomed as the successor to the purple No.9 jersey.

Both Cameron and coach Craig Bellamy stressed the younger Smith had reiterated his commitment to the Storm and had no issue playing a bench utility role while his captain pushes toward the 400-game milestone.

"He came and grabbed me when he saw that headline," Smith told reporters on Thursday when Jesse Bromwich and Dale Finucane were unveiled as the club's new vice-captains.

"I hadn't seen it and I think he was notified on it.

"I'm not too sure where that came from, that's come from somewhere other than Brandon because he was quite upset when he was told about that.

"He came over to reassure me that he was very happy playing here and that me staying on hadn't upset him at all."

Bellamy preceded Smith's comments by declaring the Kiwi rake was "going nowhere".

He came and grabbed me when he saw that headline

Cameron Smith on Brandon Smith

While Jahrome Hughes and Scott Drinkwater are the leading contenders to fill Billy Slater's boots at the back and Brodie Croft has staked Cooper Cronk's old No.7 jumper as his own, Smith remains the obvious hooking option when his namesake eventually bows out.

The playmaking quartet will again be expected to shoulder more responsibility in what Craig Bellamy describes as the most youthful squad he has coached in 17 seasons at the club.

Melbourne have not gone to market in search of replacements for Ryan Hoffman (retired) and Tim Glasby (Knights).

Instead, Bellamy is backing young forwards Tui Kamikamica, Tom Eisenhuth and 197cm, Junior Kangaroo Tino Fa'asuamaleaui to push the likes of Sam Kasiano and Albert Vete for call-ups.

"This is probably the youngest group we’ve ever had, or certainly the youngest group I've ever seen," Bellamy said.

"We had some young guys from outside our 17 last year, some on the edge that probably played a couple of games, they'll certainly get an opportunity but there's a few new guys that haven't played first grade that will get some opportunities and we’ll see how they handle it.

"It will be really exciting at the start of the year … when you get four, five, six weeks of getting bashed up and then it gets into a real grind, that’s when they need to keep sticking their head up."