How McKinnon comments have backfired

Kurt Gidley of the Knights walks Alex McKinnon onto the ground ahead of the round 19 clash last season. Photo / Getty

Australian Rugby League Commission chairman John Grant believes Alex McKinnon has lost some of the support of the league community due to the fallout from his public criticism of Australian and Melbourne Storm captain Cameron Smith.

The former Newcastle back-rower and his family remain angry at Smith for comments he made on-field 16 months ago, while McKinnon received medical attention following the illegal tackle that has left him confined to a wheelchair.

McKinnon slammed Smith's behaviour during an interview on Channel Nine's 60 minutes program last week and expressed disappointment that he had not made contact with him since.

Smith is angry he wasn't given the opportunity to explain his position and the Queensland skipper refused to speak with the Nine Network during their coverage of Wednesday night's State of Origin decider.

Grant lamented the fact the pair were at loggerheads but said the ARLC would not intervene unless both McKinnon and Smith were willing to engage.

"If Cameron is happy with where he is, we don't do anything," Grant told the Sydney Morning Herald.

"If Alex is happy with where he is, we don't do anything either. It's hard to imagine Alex - and be very careful in how you interpret this - [because] Alex has the sympathy and empathy of 100 per cent of the rugby league community. It's been shown in every way possible during unbelievably tragic circumstances.

"But where he is at at the moment, he has lost some of that support. I don't think that's what he would have wanted."

Grant hopes both parties will be able to find some middle ground and said the onus was on both McKinnon and Smith to try and resolve their issues.

"When you stand back from it, it's very unfortunate it's where it is at the moment. The only people who can sort it out are Alex and Cameron. It's [about] where they want this to end ... Clearly Alex feels very strongly about it and you can understand the feelings that might come into that. But when you sit down in the clear light of day and say 'Ok, that's what I think, that's what I said, now I'm here', is that where he wants to be?

"They both have to make a decision about if that's where they want to be and if they don't they need to do something about it."

Smith will finally break his silence in a one-on-one interview with Fox Sport's Peter Sterling, which is expected to air in part tonight with the full version to be screened on Saturday.