NRL: Smith happy with new Storm

Cameron Smith. Photo / Getty Images

Melbourne Storm skipper Cameron Smith says his new-look team is going to turn heads and is tipping a big NRL season for a recruit who reminds him of Israel Folau.

The Storm lost several players to other clubs following their salary cup transgressions.

Among those were superstar back Greg Inglis, veteran playmaker Brett Finch and forwards Ryan Hoffman, Jeff Lima and Aiden Tolman.

Queensland and Australia hooker Smith wasn't making any big predictions about whether Melbourne could return to the finals, but said people had focused on who they had lost rather than their recruits.

"It's not a new situation for us, losing a lot of good players, we've done it since 2006," Smith told reporters.

"But we have a uncanny knack of finding young guys that can do a really good job for us, finding guys that are unwanted by other clubs, and we bring them down to show them the way we like to play and Craig (coach Bellamy) does a really good job with them.

"I've been really impressed with our new recruits and the young guys who have come into our squad and I think we're going to turn a few heads."

Smith said 20-year-old former Warriors winger Elijah Niko, at 192cm and 108 kg, was a recruit who people could expect to see a lot of in the future.

"He reminds me of Israel Folau when he first came to the club, he came down as a big young raw winger," Smith said of Niko.

"He's got a lot of his (Folau's) traits, he's a big athlete, he's strong, he runs the ball hard, he's quite good in the air.

"He's got a really good set of hands on him. When he's got the ball, he's got a great ability to play to his winger in some tight situations.

"I'm not trying to put pressure on the bloke and say he can be like Israel, he just reminds me a lot of him."

Smith stressed the Storm had plenty of exciting, young, emerging outside backs.

"We saw two of them last year in Matt Duffie and Justin O'Neiil.

"They did a wonderful job for us and Anthony Quinn is back from injury."

Smith was also upbeat about a revamped pack boasting plenty of size.

"I think were lucky there where we have picked up some experienced guys like Jaiman (Jaiman) Lowe, Adam Woolnough, and Troy Thompson.

"They are pretty big boys so it's going to be nice to play behind some really big blokes."

- AAP