Latest news with #CraigBellamy
News.com.au
18 hours ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
‘It's not good news': Storm face crucial call at halfback as premiership favourites deal with Jahrome Hughes' shoulder injury
Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy says his side won't be able to completely recover regardless of who comes in to replace Jahrome Hughes next week as the club sweats on scans to determine the severity of the halfback's shoulder injury. Hughes left the field just minutes into the second half of Melbourne's gutsy 34-30 win over the Roosters with the club confirming immediately that he'd dislocated his shoulder after landing awkwardly while making a tackle on James Tedesco. The reigning Dally M Medal winner was in agony and had to be helped off Allianz Stadium, with Melbourne's medical staff unable to put it back in. Confirmation Jahrome Hughes has injured his shoulder and won’t return tonight. He is going to hospital for assessment and pain relief. We will provide another update as soon as we can ðŸ'œ — Melbourne Storm (@storm) July 24, 2025 'He's gone to the hospital and the doctor has gone with him. We're not really sure (how bad it is) but it's dislocated and they couldn't get it (back) in here so he'll probably have to go under to get it back in,' Bellamy said after the game. 'Whether he's got a crack in it as well or whether (it's something else) we might not find out until tomorrow, but you'd like to think they'll get it back in tonight. 'It's not good news, but we're not sure the severity of it until he has an X-ray or a scan. 'I experienced it myself. I had both my shoulders reconstructed. 'I think the longer they're out, it's a bigger problem. The longer it's out, the more it stretches the ligaments and the muscles around the joint. I don't think it's overly good news.' Storm indicate Jahrome Hughes suffered a dislocated shoulder - textbook mechanism landing on outstretched arm. General recovery guide: - minimal structural damage/joint stable: trial rehab for 3-6 weeks - significant damage/joint unstable: reco surgery & 3+ months — NRL PHYSIO (@nrlphysio) July 24, 2025 Hughes has had shoulder issues in the past and will miss the rest of the season if scans confirm the worst. It would be a huge blow for the premiership favourites who bravely fought on without him as skipper Harry Grant stood tall with superstars Cameron Munster, Ryan Papenhuyzen and Nelson Asofa-Solomona also missing. Hughes had already set up a try and was starting to look threatening in attack before he was forced off, with the result moving them back into second spot for now. 'I reckon it was just getting to the stage of the game where he would have started doing a bit more running,' Bellamy said. 'The back end of the first half he started doing a bit of running and he was causing some issues for the Roosters defence. 'No one wants to lose their halfback. He's a massive part of our footy team.' Bellamy has two clear options for next week's game against the Eels, with Tyran Wishart and Jonah Pezet the men most likely to partner Munster in the halves. Wishart played five-eighth on Thursday night and filled in admirably in the halves last season while Munster was out injured, while Pezet is a more traditional halfback but has played just two NRL games off the bench this year after returning from a serious knee injury. 'We'll give someone else a chance,' Bellamy said. 'Munster should be back next week, and with 'Wish' and 'Pez', he's only a young kid who hasn't had much first grade experience at all. But he's a good organiser and kicker. 'We'll see what we think is best for the team. 'Mun' will come back in and then we'll go from there. 'We probably won't recover completely because he was the Dally M player of the year last year. However long he's out for, we're going to miss him.'
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
'Don't think he'll be playing': Bellamy flags further absence for Cameron Munster
Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy has hinted Cameron Munster won't be playing against the Roosters after the team's five-day turnaround as he prepares to attend his father's funeral in Queensland. Munster is still grieving the loss of his father Steven, who died just days before State of Origin Game 3. Munster left State of Origin camp ahead of the decider to be with his family, but returned for the captain's run in a stoic move for his side. And the newly appointed Queensland captain was instrumental in leading his team to a historic Game 3 win. After missing his side's round 19 clash, Munster returned to the side to play the Manly Sea Eagles on Saturday in Melbourne. Unfortunately for the Storm, Manly were too good winning after a divisive penalty against Harry Grant handed Reuben Garrick a penalty to win the game. Munster got through the game fine, but his availability for the round 20 clash this Thursday night has been thrown into doubt. Melbourne have a five-day turnaround before their game against the Roosters, with both teams looking to get back to winning ways on Thursday. The Roosters dropped out of the eight after a tough loss to the Cronulla Sharks, while Melbourne dropped to third. And Bellamy claimed Munster was unlikely to line-up for the Storm as he spends time with his family. The Daily Telegraph reported Munster would need to make a mad dash to attend the funeral if he played in Sydney against the Roosters. Steven's funeral is on Friday in Rockhampton, which would be the day after the Roosters game. The publication claimed Munster would need to get the first plane out of Sydney on Friday morning if he played on Thursday night, before changing in Brisbane to make a flight to Rockhampton. And after being asked about whether Munster would make the five-day turnaround, Bellamy suggested it was very unlikely. "I don't think he'll be been spoken about that much, but I don't think he will be playing on Thursday," he said. This means Tyran Wishart will most likely fill in for Munster in what is looming as an important game for both teams. Melbourne will most likely be without Nelson Asofa-Solomona as well after he was hit with a two-game ban for an elbow. It remains to be seen if he will fight the charge. Andrew Johns calls out NRL for kicker rule Bellamy was left frustrated after the 18-16 loss having claimed his team didn't live up to the expectations on old boys day. And one of the major talking points was the penalty by Grant. With Luke Brooks attempting a field goal with time running out, Grant rushed out to put pressure on the playmaker. Although he collided with the feet of Brooks with minimal contact. The NRL has made sure connection with the kickers legs have been penalties this year, and even though it was minimal, Manly sealed the game with a penalty right in front. RELATED: Latrell Mitchell moment says it all as Souths rocked by another injury Broncos sign 'next Benji Marshall' from rival NRL club's backyard However, the rule has not sat well with plenty of stars in the game. Johns feels the NRL has gone too far in protecting kickers and the game now favours playmakers. "It's gone way too far," Johns said on Channel Nine's Sunday Footy Show. "Say you defend a really good set, and you get the opposition they play the ball on their 30. In years gone by if it was a slow play-the-ball the kicker would have to be back 10 to 15 metres, which means you would get the ball and bring it back to your 40. "Nowadays if you get a bad attacking set and slow play-the-ball, the kicker stands on the advantage line and kicks it 60 metres because they know they can't get hit. They should be able to get out and tackle the kicker above the waist."
News.com.au
2 days ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
Storm coach Craig Bellamy concedes there's no clear timeline on Ryan Papenhuyzen return
Melbourne Storm Craig Bellamy says there haven't been many 'better buys' than star winger Xavier Coates, with his 100th game milestone set to stir the team into action after the disappointment of an embarrassing failure in front of the club's former players last weekend. Bellamy was still stinging from last Saturday's loss to Manly on 'Old Boys' night given the importance he had put on significant club events during his 23 years at the helm. A five-day turnaround between the defeat and Thursday's clash with the Sydney Roosters demanded he 'move on' quickly after what would have been a piercing review. The coach conceded it would be tough, particularly having to travel, and without star playmaker Cameron Munster, electric fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen and enforcer Nelson Asofa-Solomona. But a response looms likely given the tone in Bellamy's voice on Wednesday that suggested his frustration with the effort against Manly would have reverberated through the playing group. 'That was disappointing for me,' he said of losing in front of the former players. 'Obviously, we don't like losing any game, we don't like losing at home, but to have all the old boys down and to actually perform like that ... getting beat in this competition is going to happen at times but just the way we started the game was really disappointing.' The loss, Storm's fifth of the season, made winning every game on the road to the finals crucial to lock up a top-four spot. But while Munster, who is missing the clash with the Roosters to attend his father's funeral, should be back as soon as next week to help the charge, Papenhuyzen's recovery from a calf injury is not as clear. He's now missed four games. 'When it first was happening it was only going to be a week, so I'm not quite sure,' Bellamy said. 'I don't understand injuries all that well. I haven't done any PhD or whatever it is, so we just need to get on with what we've got.' They don't have Asofa-Solomona, who was suspended for an errant elbow that also cost Storm a penalty last week. Asked on Wednesday whether there was a 'fine balance' between using the big man's aggression and curbing his outbursts, Bellamy gave a terse response. 'Yeah, it seems to be a fine balance,' he said, without expanding. Coates will be flying down the wing in his 100th game for the Storm since crossing from the Brisbane Broncos and thriving. The coach was full of praise for the State of Origin star. 'What he's put in form wise and what he's added to the club, not only on the field but off the field, there hasn't been too many better buys than Xavier,' Bellamy said. 'What he's done here has been exceptional and really proud of him and really proud he plays his 100th game here and hopefully he'll play a lot more milestones here.'
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Storm hit with NRL premiership truth bomb as legend makes huge call on Panthers
League great Greg Alexander has cast doubts over suggestions the Melbourne Storm are NRL premiership favourites this year and has tipped the Raiders to beat them to the minor premiership. While fellow Penrith legend Scott Sattler says the stunning form of the resurgent Panthers has convinced him they can win a fifth straight grand final in 2025. The Storm's hopes of ending the regular season on top of the ladder took a hit on Saturday night when they went down by two points to Manly in a 16-18 nail-biter at AAMI stadium. Melbourne were seven wins from seven at home before that defeat to the Sea Eagles and saw their six-game NRL winning streak snapped after a gutsy display from Manly. It sparked fresh questions about whether the third-placed Storm deserved to be considered favourites to win the grand final this season. Craig Bellamy's side were still without superstar fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen, who missed his third game in a row with a calf strain. His return will be a massive boost for Melbourne's premiership hopes but Alexander says he's still not completely convinced they're the team to beat. "It's hard to go past Papenhuyzen, Munster, Hughes and Grant. That's the best spine in the game," Alexander said on SEN radio. "The size of the pack, the middles, (Trent) Loiero's an Origin player. Nelson (Asofa-Solomona), Stefano (Utoikamanu), Josh King, it's a big middle and they've got some quality players coming off the bench. "So I guess they are (premiership favourites) but they haven't set the world on fire and if you have a look at the six wins and who they've been against, they got beaten by the Sharks and then went on a six-game run. They beat the Titans, the Cowboys twice, the Bunnies, the Sharks - who were in a hell of a hole when they beat them - and Newcastle." Alexander says while the Storm have been short-priced favourites to win the premiership all season, he sees the same sort of inconsistencies in their displays as other rivals, save from perhaps the ladder-leading Raiders. "They will be the minor premiers, he said about Ricky Stuart's Canberra side. "The run they have home certainly favours the Raiders, who showed again just how dangerous they can be with the ball. They were down against the Eels but they destroyed them in the second half with five tries." The injury-hit Warriors are the only team currently in the top six who Alexander has written off as premiership contenders. But he believes any of the Raiders, Bulldogs, Broncos or Panthers are capable of preventing the Storm from winning the grand final. RELATED: Tigers player escapes charge over tackle that left superstar injured Craig Bellamy flags further absence for Storm star Cameron Munster Latrell moment says it all as Souths cop another season-ending blow Penrith legend backs club to win a fifth straight premiership And fellow Panthers legend Sattler is convinced his former club can win an unprecedented fifth straight NRL premiership after extending their winning streak to six games with Friday night's 30-10 win against South Sydney. 'They can, based on the aura... and it doesn't matter if they finish 5th or 6th, cause a home elimination/semi-final to them is irrelevant," Sattler said on SEN radio. 'And they've got players that know how to win and how to prepare.' The Panthers sat dead-last after 12 rounds and many had written off their chances in 2025 but Ivan Cleary's side are now up into sixth after their stunning resurgence. And veteran league reporter Andrew Webster backed Sattler's call about the Panthers and believes their Origin stars will have extra motivation to win another comp after their heartbreaking series loss with NSW. 'When Queensland lose (in Origin), those Melbourne Storm Queenslanders usually rise to the occasion and they go pretty close (to winning),' he said on SEN. 'I reckon that could be the case for Penrith. That will be the motivation for the likes of (Liam) Martin, (Dylan) Edwards, Cleary, Yeo and (Brian) To'o. They go to a new level, and they are a different team in September, and that's how they approach it.'
News.com.au
5 days ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
‘Ain't going to say it': Bellamy silent as Cronk calls out ugly act
Nelson Asofa-Solomona could consider himself lucky to have stayed on the field after an elbow from the Storm prop saw a Melbourne try rubbed off the board and Manly hooker Jake Simpkin ruled out of Saturday's game. The Storm looked to have hit back after Manly scored three consecutive tries to take a 16-6 lead, with Harry Grant taking on the line off a quick play-the-ball and slicing through. But replays later showed Asofa-Solomona elbowing Simpkin in the head as he fought to play the ball and the Bunker subsequently intervened, with the try taken off the board. 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 > It ended up also being a costly moment for Manly as Simpkin was later ruled to be displaying Category 1 concussion symptoms and was subsequently ruled out for the game. Asofa-Solomona may have been lucky to not spend time in the sin bin for his actions and could come under scrutiny from the NRL's match review committee. Storm coach Craig Bellamy was questioned on the incident in his post-game press conference but was keeping his mouth shut. 'I've got an opinion but I ain't going to say it,' he said. Former Storm halfback Cooper Cronk, however, was more than happy to give his take. 'The game needs to sort out that Simpkin goes off but Nelson continues to stay on the field and plays a role in that team,' Cronk said 'The game needs to sort that out big time. I think there are a couple of options the game really needs to sit down and think about because Manly cannot be disadvantaged in that situation and Melbourne get a one-up. I think he's in some trouble.' Meanwhile, Fox League's Eloise Sohier later reported that the Sea Eagles and coach Anthony Seibold were 'blowing up' over that ruling, believing that it should have been a Category 2 and that Simpkin was fine to play on. Seibold confirmed that Manly's testing deemed Simpkin was showing Category 2 symptoms and that they may consider challenging the ruling. 'It was disappointing, but we lost Jake for the game, so it was category one from the bunker but from our testing it was category two,' Seibold said. 'Jake does have a mark on his face and Nelson is a big man so he copped a fair elbow from Nelson, so he stayed down because of that bit he wasn't concussed. We don't believe it was category one but we lost him for the night so we were down to three players on the interchange bench. 'We will lose him for 11 days but we might challenge that because our doctor considers it a category two, so if that is the case tomorrow with the follow-up protocols then we might put a case that it was category two.'
