Parramatta Eels set to join contract race for Melbourne Storm superstar Cameron Smith Cameron Smith against one of the sides tipped to poach him - the Broncos. MELBOURNE are facing a major bidding war to retain Test captain Cameron Smith with Sydney clubs set to enter the race for the most prized signature in the NRL. Smith's management can legally field rival NRL offers from Friday, opening the door for the Broncos to table a $1 million-a-season deal for the Queensland skipper. But Melbourne face a retention battle on dual fronts, with Parramatta on Tuesday becoming the first Sydney-based outfit to express interest in Smith for the 2015 season. Luring the 30-year-old to Sydney will be difficult because of the Logan product's family ties in Brisbane. However, the Eels have a bargaining chip in new coach Brad Arthur, who struck a rapport with Smith during his time as an assistant to coach Craig Bellamy in Melbourne. Storm hierarchy will fight hard to keep Smith but are facing salary-cap pressures, with Ryan Hoffman, Jesse Bromwich, Kevin Proctor and Tohu Harris also off-contract next season. News Limited understands the Broncos are front-runners to snare Smith, but Parramatta chairman Steve Sharp believes the Maroons' ace is the ideal recruit to rebuild the Eels. "I'm sure there will be a dozen clubs who will be putting their hand up and Parramatta are a club who will certainly be looking at someone of Cam's quality," Sharp said. We don't have a lot of room in our cap for 2014 but we do have funds for 2015. If our coach wants to have a crack at one of the best players in the game, if Brad says, 'I want Cameron Smith here', as a board we would do everything possible to make it happen. I don't know Cameron Smith at all, but Brad Arthur does and I marvel at him as a fan. Cameron is a born leader, a winner, and he would be an asset to any club. He controls the ruck area better than anyone else in the game and with a few dynamic runners like Will Hopoate and Jarryd Hayne in our side, Cameron would be a great foil for those guys. He's an exceptional player and the type of bloke that can help rebuild a club like Parramatta. Arthur, who has just returned from a family holiday in Bali, said he would consult Eels football general manager Daniel Anderson on the composition of the club's roster. "I'll sit down with Pete Nolan (Eels recruitment chief) and Daniel Anderson before we decide which other guys we sign," he said. Obviously I know Cam from Melbourne, but first we need to be competitive for next season. The Storm will ramp up contract talks when Smith returns from World Cup duty, but are acutely aware of the family issues that could deliver the hooker to the Broncos. "We appreciate and respect the fact it is a massive decision for Cameron and his family," Storm football manager Frank Ponissi said recently. But absolutely no decision has been made on where Cameron will play from 2015 onwards. He will tell us in due course and we dispute a decision has already been made.