Cameron Smith holds the key to solving Melbourne Storm's halves dilemma – but not as a number nine.

In wake of Craig Bellamy dropping Brodie Croft, Jamie Soward tells the NRL Podcast if he was coach, he'd move Smith to the halves.

Croft has struggled to fill the huge hole left by champion playmaker Cooper Cronk who left the club after 14 years to sign a two-year deal with the Roosters.

The 20-year-old was subsequently dropped and replaced by Ryley Jacks for Melbourne's round six match against the Newcastle Knights.

Soward also threw his support behind embattled North Queensland Cowboys co-captain Johnathan Thurston.

The 2010 Telstra Premiership winner backed Thurston to return to former against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs on Saturday – and potentially even play on beyond 2018.

NRL.com chief reporter Michael Chammas also joins the podcast this week to give insight into Brad Arthur's main concern with his winless Parramatta Eels.

Using the NRL App? Listen to the podcast here