Australian and Queensland captain Cameron Smith will announce his retirement from representative rugby league, effective immediately.
Fox Sports reports the No. 9 has called a press conference for 1pm in Melbourne where he will make the announcement alongside coach Kevin Walters.
Smith’s exit coincides with the representative retirements of Johnathan Thurston and Cooper Cronk, which were announced at the end of last year.
It means Queensland will need a new captain and hooker for the State of Origin series starting on June 6.
The call is likely to springboard Brisbane hooker Andrew McCullough into contention for a Queensland debut in game one, while Jake Granville of the Cowboys could be another option.
Darius Boyd, Billy Slater or Greg Inglis are the most likely candidates to take over the captaincy, however Boyd has battled form and fitness at Brisbane this season.
Since making his debut for Queensland in 2003, Smith has played a record 42 Origins for the Maroons and has been captain of the side since 2012.
In that period he has missed just one game - the series opener in 2010 due to injury - and won a record 26 matches.
Since playmaker Thurston’s debut in 2005, the pair have played a crucial role in the Maroons’ 11 of the last 12 series victories.
— with AAP
(Picture: Darren England)