Storm CEO Dave Donaghy has declared Cameron Smith's record-breaking 400th game against the Sharks on Saturday night as the biggest NRL match ever seen in Melbourne.
The countdown continued on Thursday when a giant mural of Smith was presented outside Richmond train station, just a few hundred metres from the Storm's home base at AAMI Park.
It was one of the many celebrations planned in the lead-up to the Storm captain becoming the first player in the history of the NRL to play 400 games.
Veteran coach Craig Bellamy said last week that the match was the biggest home and away game the club has ever participated in, but Donaghy trumped the experienced mentor by going one step further.
"I don’t think there has been a bigger game of NRL in Melbourne than this one," Donaghy said on Thursday.
Storm v Sharks - Round 17
"We have played in premierships, World Club Challenges, we have had Anzac Day games here which is a great honour for our club and (there has been) State of Origin in Melbourne.
"It's quite remarkable that we have got the first player to play 400 games and we want to make sure we do this game and the occasion justice."
Just how much longer Smith can continue in the game remains to be seen, but the 36-year-old is playing as well as ever and is contracted to the Storm for 2020.
Donaghy said any decision on when Smith finishes his illustrious career would be entirely up to the Storm captain.
"He is like Benjamin Button at the moment," Donaghy admitted.
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"He is like a fine wine. We were at Penfolds Winery the other week and he is like a nice bottle of grange. He is getting better with age.
"Not playing Origin has certainly helped him. I don’t know how long he will go on for, that is for Cam to decide.
"Those guys have done so much for the football club that they have earned the right to tap on my window and not the other way around.
"Everyone in the NRL should be celebrating... if we had more blokes like Cam Smith in the league the game would be in a much better space."
Former teammate Ryan Hoffman was also on hand on Thursday at the unveiling of the mural and the fellow club legend sees no reason why Smith can't continue on into the future.
"I think he can definitely play another season and beyond that, who knows?" Hoffman said. "I really hope he doesn’t get to 450 because we are starting to run out of ideas for what to do for him.
"We went through it all at 200, at 300 and 350, the games record and now we are at 400."
Be there to witness history as Cameron Smith plays his milestone match - Tickets available
