Smith never approached over McKinnon 60 Minutes piece

Storm captain Cameron Smith. Photo / Getty

60 Minutes have admitted they never approached Cameron Smith for comment for the Alex McKinnon story the Australian news show aired in the weekend in which the paralysed player made scathing remarks about the Australian captain.

McKinnon told the program that he remained upset over on-field comments Melbourne skipper Smith made to referees following the tackle in March last year that left him in a wheelchair with a severe spinal injury.

McKinnon believed Smith had implied his actions when held in the three-man tackle were partly to blame for him landing head first.

60 Minutes executive producer Tom Malone told The Daily Telegraph that the decision not to approach Smith was made out of respect to McKinnon and his family who were telling their story publicly for the first time.

"60 Minutes chose not to contact Cameron Smith before our story went to air, because this was Alex's story, told by Alex and his family and friends," Malone said.

"The facts of the story are not in dispute, and the opinions expressed are those honestly held by Alex and his family."

Queensland teammate Corey Parker said yesterday that Smith had been affected by McKinnon's scathing criticism.

"When you are part of a team there comes a time when you lean on each other - this is one of those times," Parker said at Queensland's Gold Coast camp.

"It's affected him (Smith) to some degree. When your integrity gets questioned or someone has an opinion on it, it is never good."

Showed a replay of the fateful tackle on the program, McKinnon said it was "f.....g ridiculous" that Smith was arguing with the referee about being penalised as the injured player was assisted and carried off the field.

Parker said national captain Smith would have reacted very differently had he known the severity of McKinnon's injury at the time.

"I have known Cameron since he was a young boy," Parker said.

"The person I know is of a humble, good human.

"At no stage when those comments were made would he have known of the severity of the tackle - we can all vouch for that."

McKinnon also said he had not heard from the Australian and Queensland captain since the accident.

Asked if Smith should apologise or "clear the air", Parker said: "I feel in due course Cameron will talk.

"(However) I know there have been attempts by Melbourne to get into contact (with McKinnon) but it was to no avail.

"But there are no winners in this situation. It is just a terrible, terrible accident."

- nzherald.co.nz./AAP