Veteran Storm coach Bellamy makes big coaching call
Craig Bellamy is set to continue as Melbourne coach for a 24th year, deciding against moving into a new role at the NRL club or retirement.
Bellamy, 65, signed a unique five-year contract with the Storm in 2022 that allows him to decide each year whether he will continue in the head coach position.
With Melbourne currently in fourth spot on the NRL ladder and among the title favourites, Bellamy will confirm at a press conference on Thursday morning before Storm training he has taken up the option to stay on next year.
A regular visitor to the Gold Coast where he has a house and family, Bellamy has recently been linked with a move to the Titans at the end of his contract.
He became Storm coach in 2003, leading the team to a semi-final in his first year.
Since then the Storm have played in 21 finals series, winning the grand final on five occasions and the minor premiership eight times.
Coaching 590 games, he has a winning percentage of 69.49 per cent.
His enthusiasm for the game doesn't appear to be wavering, this year committing to additional duties as an advisor to NSW State of Origin coach Laurie Daley.
Halfback Jarome Hughes said earlier this week Bellamy hadn't told the players about his future plans but hoped the coach would stay on for another season.
"He's such a great coach and he's been such a great mentor for all of us players for so long - so the longer he stays the better," the Dally M Medallist said.
"It's whatever's best for him and his family and whatever he wants to do, but I can't see him hanging it up too soon.
"He'll get bored at home in his mansion at Albert Park so I'm sure he'll go around again."
Melbourne host sixth-placed North Queensland on Friday night and will be back to full-strength after skipper Harry Grant and winger Xavier Coates sat out their Gold Coast win following State of Origin duty.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Courier-Mail
3 hours ago
- Courier-Mail
NRL news: Braith Anasta calls for Bulldogs to make tough call after Lachlan Galvin scalp, latest news, Parramatta Eels
Don't miss out on the headlines from NRL. Followed categories will be added to My News. Braith Anasta has warned that the Lachlan Galvin signing could disrupt the Bulldogs' momentum and will likely result in a major backline reshuffle. The 19-year-old's contract saga has dominated the rugby league news cycle for several weeks before it finally came to a head last week when he signed with the Bulldogs on around $750,000 a season. Many expected Galvin to make his debut in the Easter Monday clash against the Eels, but the teen phenom has instead been named outside the 17. Although a late change could be on the cards. FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every game of every round in the 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership, LIVE with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer. His arrival at Belmore had many speculating he would take the spot of No. 7 Toby Sexton, who has been a revelation in 2025 and is a large reason why the Dogs sit pretty at the top of the NRL ladder. But Anasta told that he believes Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo has other ideas and instead representative centre and current Dogs five-eighth Matt Burton will shift to fullback, with Galvin handed the No. 6 jersey and fullback Connor Tracey playing off the bench or dropped to reserve grade. 'I think Galvin is a 5/8 not a halfback,' Anasta told 'I know many are saying he will play seven but the Galvin signing isn't a short-term play. Where he fits their system right now is tricky. 'I'm sure the Dogs would have spoken to him openly about where he could potentially play but there isn't an obvious spot for him to come into. I would think they will most likely give Sexton the next few weeks to see if he continues to knock it out of the park. 'If he does they have two options, play him (Galvin) off the bench for the year or if not I don't mind the idea of playing Burton at fullback. Braith Anasta has called for Matt Burton to play fullback, pushing Toby Sexton out of the side. Image: Getty 'It doesn't mess up the team chemistry, Burton's kicking game isn't taken away by being at fullback, and of course that is tough for Tracey, but Burton fits the mould of the modern fullback arguably better. 'Fullbacks these days are runners, who are real ball players and it (playing fullback) would allow him to inject himself into the game as he likes. If it was up to me I'd be doing that before anything else so as to not interrupt the team as much. 'I could see them really having success with Burton at fullback along with Sexton and Galvin in that spine but again a lot of it really rides on Sexton.' If Galvin is to be a late inclusion, he will likely be met with a mixed reception from fans, coming up against the team he turned down, the Eels. While Tigers fans also feel aggrieved by his decision to exit the club and his return to the joint venture will almost certainly result in him being booed and jeered every time he touches the ball. That reaction is nothing new to Anasta, who in his playing career had a mixed reaction after he joined the Roosters, due to the fact he was a Rabbitohs junior. So ahead of Galvin's possible debut, the player-turned-Fox League pundit passed on some words of wisdom to the teenager. 'My words of wisdom with anything like this is you've made your decision now and have to just back yourself,' Anasta told Canterbury Bulldogs signing Lachlan Galvin. Lachlan Galvin is pushing to be a late inclusion. 'He (Galvin) sounds like a really switched-on kid with a high footy IQ. All I'd say is block out the noise as it's really irrelevant. 'What people think, feel all their opinions about you are irrelevant unless they're the ones closest to you like your family, friends your boss and your coach. 'Because everyone's always going have an opinion and not everyone's always going to agree with the decisions that you're making in life but it doesn't matter. It really doesn't matter as long as you know you're confident in your own ability, confident in the decision you make and you work hard. 'For Galvin, the sky is the limit, the decision to leave has been made, he can put all that behind him and look forward to playing footy.' The Bulldogs take on the Eels in an epic Kings Birthday blockbuster on Monday. You can catch all the action live on Kayo Sports. Originally published as Braith Anasta calls for Bulldogs to make tough Connor Tracey call after Lachlan Galvin coup
The Advertiser
4 hours ago
- The Advertiser
'Special' Hughes performance headlines Cowboys thumping
Melbourne's Jahrome Hughes has stolen the spotlight from his North Queensland opposite Tom Dearden with the Storm halfback orchestrating a commanding 38-14 victory at AAMI Park. All eyes were on Dearden, who is favoured to usurp Daly Cherry-Evans as Queensland's State of Origin No.7 when teams for game two in Perth are announced. But reigning Dally M Medallist Hughes was the stand-out from both teams, scoring two tries and setting up two more as well as nine tackle-busts in one of his best performances of the season. Hughes embraced his running game to keep the Cowboys defence guessing, with Cameron Munster also up to the challenge as the superstar pair marked their 100th NRL game in the Storm halves. Hughes also pulled off a critical strip on Jeremiah Nanai close to the tryline to help his team win consecutive matches for the first time since round six. Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy, who this week signed to stay on in 2027, said Hughes had been battling a number of injuries including a broken hand and neck issues. "He has been playing pretty well, but that was a pretty special effort tonight, it was definitely his best performance this year," Bellamy said. "He's done remarkably well to have played as many games as he's played, with some of the injuries, they're just sort of worn him down a little bit mentally too, not being able to do the things that he's used to doing or is capable of doing. "So he's been really brave for us ... but it looked like he shook off a few of those injuries tonight." Melbourne started with a bang with tries to Eli Katoa and Hughes setting up a 12-0 after 18 minutes. A pin-point cut-out pass from Dearden to winger Jaxson Paulo put the visitors on the scoreboard two minutes later. Melbourne went off the boil and only desperate defence goal-line kept them ahead, with North Queensland dominating territory 68 per cent to 32. Despite that statistic, the Storm made them pay when they got a chance in the 39th minute when a Hughes bomb was dropped cold by fullback Scott Drinkwater. Hughes then collected the spoils in the next set, linking with the rest of the star Melbourne spine for an 18-4 halftime lead. Despite a massive spray by Cowboys coach Todd Payten, Nick Meaney crossed two minutes into the second half after the Melbourne centre ran onto a Hughes grubber. The talented Cowboys attack finally kicked into gear and after Drinkwater saved a third Hughes try he scored one of his own after a Reece Robson dart from dummy-half. Robert Derby was in two minutes later to close the margin to 10 points but Storm prop Nelson Asofa-Solomona stalled the Cowboys' momentum when he dragged four defenders over the line. Payten said his team beat themselves. "It's just pure disappointment, we didn't make a good team earn anything," he said. "When you crack so easily on your tryline, and then just give them leg up after leg up with tackle four or five penalties, play one, two errors, so it probably should have been more, to be fair. "It's frustrating and burning inside ... I hate when we beat ourselves, and I felt like tonight we did exactly that." Melbourne's Jahrome Hughes has stolen the spotlight from his North Queensland opposite Tom Dearden with the Storm halfback orchestrating a commanding 38-14 victory at AAMI Park. All eyes were on Dearden, who is favoured to usurp Daly Cherry-Evans as Queensland's State of Origin No.7 when teams for game two in Perth are announced. But reigning Dally M Medallist Hughes was the stand-out from both teams, scoring two tries and setting up two more as well as nine tackle-busts in one of his best performances of the season. Hughes embraced his running game to keep the Cowboys defence guessing, with Cameron Munster also up to the challenge as the superstar pair marked their 100th NRL game in the Storm halves. Hughes also pulled off a critical strip on Jeremiah Nanai close to the tryline to help his team win consecutive matches for the first time since round six. Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy, who this week signed to stay on in 2027, said Hughes had been battling a number of injuries including a broken hand and neck issues. "He has been playing pretty well, but that was a pretty special effort tonight, it was definitely his best performance this year," Bellamy said. "He's done remarkably well to have played as many games as he's played, with some of the injuries, they're just sort of worn him down a little bit mentally too, not being able to do the things that he's used to doing or is capable of doing. "So he's been really brave for us ... but it looked like he shook off a few of those injuries tonight." Melbourne started with a bang with tries to Eli Katoa and Hughes setting up a 12-0 after 18 minutes. A pin-point cut-out pass from Dearden to winger Jaxson Paulo put the visitors on the scoreboard two minutes later. Melbourne went off the boil and only desperate defence goal-line kept them ahead, with North Queensland dominating territory 68 per cent to 32. Despite that statistic, the Storm made them pay when they got a chance in the 39th minute when a Hughes bomb was dropped cold by fullback Scott Drinkwater. Hughes then collected the spoils in the next set, linking with the rest of the star Melbourne spine for an 18-4 halftime lead. Despite a massive spray by Cowboys coach Todd Payten, Nick Meaney crossed two minutes into the second half after the Melbourne centre ran onto a Hughes grubber. The talented Cowboys attack finally kicked into gear and after Drinkwater saved a third Hughes try he scored one of his own after a Reece Robson dart from dummy-half. Robert Derby was in two minutes later to close the margin to 10 points but Storm prop Nelson Asofa-Solomona stalled the Cowboys' momentum when he dragged four defenders over the line. Payten said his team beat themselves. "It's just pure disappointment, we didn't make a good team earn anything," he said. "When you crack so easily on your tryline, and then just give them leg up after leg up with tackle four or five penalties, play one, two errors, so it probably should have been more, to be fair. "It's frustrating and burning inside ... I hate when we beat ourselves, and I felt like tonight we did exactly that." Melbourne's Jahrome Hughes has stolen the spotlight from his North Queensland opposite Tom Dearden with the Storm halfback orchestrating a commanding 38-14 victory at AAMI Park. All eyes were on Dearden, who is favoured to usurp Daly Cherry-Evans as Queensland's State of Origin No.7 when teams for game two in Perth are announced. But reigning Dally M Medallist Hughes was the stand-out from both teams, scoring two tries and setting up two more as well as nine tackle-busts in one of his best performances of the season. Hughes embraced his running game to keep the Cowboys defence guessing, with Cameron Munster also up to the challenge as the superstar pair marked their 100th NRL game in the Storm halves. Hughes also pulled off a critical strip on Jeremiah Nanai close to the tryline to help his team win consecutive matches for the first time since round six. Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy, who this week signed to stay on in 2027, said Hughes had been battling a number of injuries including a broken hand and neck issues. "He has been playing pretty well, but that was a pretty special effort tonight, it was definitely his best performance this year," Bellamy said. "He's done remarkably well to have played as many games as he's played, with some of the injuries, they're just sort of worn him down a little bit mentally too, not being able to do the things that he's used to doing or is capable of doing. "So he's been really brave for us ... but it looked like he shook off a few of those injuries tonight." Melbourne started with a bang with tries to Eli Katoa and Hughes setting up a 12-0 after 18 minutes. A pin-point cut-out pass from Dearden to winger Jaxson Paulo put the visitors on the scoreboard two minutes later. Melbourne went off the boil and only desperate defence goal-line kept them ahead, with North Queensland dominating territory 68 per cent to 32. Despite that statistic, the Storm made them pay when they got a chance in the 39th minute when a Hughes bomb was dropped cold by fullback Scott Drinkwater. Hughes then collected the spoils in the next set, linking with the rest of the star Melbourne spine for an 18-4 halftime lead. Despite a massive spray by Cowboys coach Todd Payten, Nick Meaney crossed two minutes into the second half after the Melbourne centre ran onto a Hughes grubber. The talented Cowboys attack finally kicked into gear and after Drinkwater saved a third Hughes try he scored one of his own after a Reece Robson dart from dummy-half. Robert Derby was in two minutes later to close the margin to 10 points but Storm prop Nelson Asofa-Solomona stalled the Cowboys' momentum when he dragged four defenders over the line. Payten said his team beat themselves. "It's just pure disappointment, we didn't make a good team earn anything," he said. "When you crack so easily on your tryline, and then just give them leg up after leg up with tackle four or five penalties, play one, two errors, so it probably should have been more, to be fair. "It's frustrating and burning inside ... I hate when we beat ourselves, and I felt like tonight we did exactly that."
News.com.au
5 hours ago
- News.com.au
Dejected Flanno fronts brutal defeat
NRL: St George Illawarra Dragons coach Shane Flanagan spoke to the media following their round 14 defeat to the Dolphins.
