Latest news with #DallyMMedal-winning
The Advertiser
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Advertiser
Storm players waiting on Bellamy's big call
The 65-year-old has shown no signs of slowing down, this year adding to his work-load by joining the NSW State of Origin coaching team as a consultant. But having signed a five-year contract back in 2022 that allows him to decide each year whether he will continue in the head coach position or transition into a coaching director role, the question comes around annually. One of the premiership favourites, Melbourne are currently fourth on the ladder after some inconsistent form that has seen them go win-loss since round six. They host sixth-placed North Queensland on Friday night and are set to be back to full-strength after skipper Harry Grant and winger Xavier Coates sat out their Gold Coast win following State of Origin duty. Dally M Medal-winning halfback Jarome Hughes said he hadn't heard any whispers around what call his coach might make. Star playmaker Cameron Munster has been enlisted in the past to persuade "Bellyache" to sign on but also hadn't made a visit to his office. The coach has been rumoured to be considering a shift to the Titans in 2027, relocating to his Gold Coast property to be near extended family. "Usually around this time it's all in the papers of what he's going to do but there hasn't been much talk," vice-captain Hughes said. "He probably wouldn't want that to distract anyone either, likes to keep that close to his chest, what he's going to do. "I guess it's that time of year where it's probably going to come up now and he's probably going to have to make a decision soon and I'm sure Munny (Munster) will be back in his office trying to get him to stay another year." "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. "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." The 65-year-old has shown no signs of slowing down, this year adding to his work-load by joining the NSW State of Origin coaching team as a consultant. But having signed a five-year contract back in 2022 that allows him to decide each year whether he will continue in the head coach position or transition into a coaching director role, the question comes around annually. One of the premiership favourites, Melbourne are currently fourth on the ladder after some inconsistent form that has seen them go win-loss since round six. They host sixth-placed North Queensland on Friday night and are set to be back to full-strength after skipper Harry Grant and winger Xavier Coates sat out their Gold Coast win following State of Origin duty. Dally M Medal-winning halfback Jarome Hughes said he hadn't heard any whispers around what call his coach might make. Star playmaker Cameron Munster has been enlisted in the past to persuade "Bellyache" to sign on but also hadn't made a visit to his office. The coach has been rumoured to be considering a shift to the Titans in 2027, relocating to his Gold Coast property to be near extended family. "Usually around this time it's all in the papers of what he's going to do but there hasn't been much talk," vice-captain Hughes said. "He probably wouldn't want that to distract anyone either, likes to keep that close to his chest, what he's going to do. "I guess it's that time of year where it's probably going to come up now and he's probably going to have to make a decision soon and I'm sure Munny (Munster) will be back in his office trying to get him to stay another year." "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. "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." The 65-year-old has shown no signs of slowing down, this year adding to his work-load by joining the NSW State of Origin coaching team as a consultant. But having signed a five-year contract back in 2022 that allows him to decide each year whether he will continue in the head coach position or transition into a coaching director role, the question comes around annually. One of the premiership favourites, Melbourne are currently fourth on the ladder after some inconsistent form that has seen them go win-loss since round six. They host sixth-placed North Queensland on Friday night and are set to be back to full-strength after skipper Harry Grant and winger Xavier Coates sat out their Gold Coast win following State of Origin duty. Dally M Medal-winning halfback Jarome Hughes said he hadn't heard any whispers around what call his coach might make. Star playmaker Cameron Munster has been enlisted in the past to persuade "Bellyache" to sign on but also hadn't made a visit to his office. The coach has been rumoured to be considering a shift to the Titans in 2027, relocating to his Gold Coast property to be near extended family. "Usually around this time it's all in the papers of what he's going to do but there hasn't been much talk," vice-captain Hughes said. "He probably wouldn't want that to distract anyone either, likes to keep that close to his chest, what he's going to do. "I guess it's that time of year where it's probably going to come up now and he's probably going to have to make a decision soon and I'm sure Munny (Munster) will be back in his office trying to get him to stay another year." "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. "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."
Perth Now
3 days ago
- Sport
- Perth Now
Storm players waiting on Bellamy's big call
Melbourne players are in the dark about Craig Bellamy's future despite their coach saying he intends to make an decision this week on whether to continue for a 24th year at the helm of the NRL club. The 65-year-old has shown no signs of slowing down, this year adding to his work-load by joining the NSW State of Origin coaching team as a consultant. But having signed a five-year contract back in 2022 that allows him to decide each year whether he will continue in the head coach position or transition into a coaching director role, the question comes around annually. One of the premiership favourites, Melbourne are currently fourth on the ladder after some inconsistent form that has seen them go win-loss since round six. They host sixth-placed North Queensland on Friday night and are set to be back to full-strength after skipper Harry Grant and winger Xavier Coates sat out their Gold Coast win following State of Origin duty. Dally M Medal-winning halfback Jarome Hughes said he hadn't heard any whispers around what call his coach might make. Star playmaker Cameron Munster has been enlisted in the past to persuade "Bellyache" to sign on but also hadn't made a visit to his office. The coach has been rumoured to be considering a shift to the Titans in 2027, relocating to his Gold Coast property to be near extended family. "Usually around this time it's all in the papers of what he's going to do but there hasn't been much talk," vice-captain Hughes said. "He probably wouldn't want that to distract anyone either, likes to keep that close to his chest, what he's going to do. "I guess it's that time of year where it's probably going to come up now and he's probably going to have to make a decision soon and I'm sure Munny (Munster) will be back in his office trying to get him to stay another year." Hughes felt that Bellamy was still the best coach in the game and hoped he could be convinced to continue in the role, that he first took on in 2003 and has since led the Storm to 21 finals series. "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. "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."
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Sea Eagles don't need Turbo to soar over Storm: Seibold
Coach Anthony Seibold says Manly have evolved to build belief they can beat anyone with or without superstar fullback Tom Trbojevic. The next edition of the "Battle of Brookvale" takes place on Sunday with the Sea Eagles minus their strike weapon, who is out for a month with his latest knee injury, up against Melbourne. In a huge boost, Melbourne will welcome back Dally M Medal-winning halfback Jahrome Hughes, who missed their last-round loss to the Dragons due to a hand injury. But winger Will Warbrick has again succumbed to concussion symptoms, with Tyran Wishart named in his place. The Sea Eagles' record without Trbojevic is 16 wins from 47 games, but Seibold says the team aren't as reliant as they used to be on their kingpin and have confidence in Lehi Hopoate at fullback. "We had a really good 40-point win over the Raiders without Turbo (Trbojevic) and last week Turbo came off at half-time and we had a really solid win against a really determined and desperate Parra side," Seibold said on Saturday. "We feel as though we're a much better side with Turbo in it, there's no doubt about that, but we feel like we're a very good side regardless these days. "I think that's probably the growth over the last couple of years, certainly since I've come to the club. "If you look at the way we play our game there's not a sole reliance on Tom. "Of course we'd love to have him out there but the reality of it is we don't ... I think the way that we play our footy, it doesn't matter who's wearing what numbers." Both teams enter the match locked on six points but 2024 grand finalists Melbourne are coming off a shock 14-8 loss to St George Illawarra and haven't won at Brookvale since 2020. They struggled in attack without Hughes calling the shots, bagging just one try despite 46 play-the-balls in the Dragons' 20m zone. While the wet conditions had an impact, coach Craig Bellamy wanted to see better ball control from his Storm outfit. "A little bit more ball control at certain times during the game ... that needs to improve and hopefully it will," Bellamy said. "I thought our defence was pretty good last week so we need to keep that up and we'll have to this week with the way that Manly play." The Sea Eagles lead the ladder in points scored, with 124 points from their four matches, with sharpshooter Reuben Garrick a runaway leader with 22 points more than any other player, including five tries. "We will have to be on our best as Manly have been one of the form sides in the comp and their attack is as sharp as anyone," Bellamy said. "We know they've scored more points than anyone else so it's going to be a tough ask but hopefully we learnt couple of things last week that can help us improve."
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Storm star overcomes latest injury to tackle Dragons
Fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen has overcome an ankle injury to give the Melbourne back-line a much-needed boost as they prepare to face St George Illawarra on Saturday. The unbeaten Storm will tackle the winless Dragons at Jubilee Stadium without Dally M Medal-winning halfback Jahrome Hughes (hand) or goal-kicking centre Nick Meaney (facial fracture), who have both undergone surgery. Papenhuyzen hurt his ankle late in their last-round victory over Penrith but didn't require any strapping and was moving freely in their final training session before flying to Sydney, with coach Craig Bellamy saying he was set to play. "He (Papenhuyzen) hasn't done all of training this week but he's done a bit of it and he did the last session that we did and seemed to get through that OK, so if he gets through today he will be fine," Bellamy said on Friday. Grant Anderson has also overcome a knee injury against the Panthers to take Meaney's No.4 jersey while gun utility Tyran Wishart will start at halfback for Hughes, who was a bystander at training although is only expected to miss a further match. "It wasn't a great night ideal for us injury-wise, losing a couple of really important players to our team, but it's been a long turnaround so we've had plenty of time to get ready and hopefully we've used that time well," Bellamy said. "Wish (Wishart) hasn't played a lot at that position with us so hopefully this week he's got a bit of a feel for the guys playing around him, and them for him." Despite their contrasting results to open the season, Bellamy expects a tough tussle at Kogarah. Coming off a round-three bye, the Dragons were in the hunt in both their matches, blowing a 24-12 lead to lose to third-placed Souths by a point in their last outing. "They're a big side and they play at pace and they like to move the ball around, so it's always going to be hard to handle," Bellamy said. "They've probably been a little bit unlucky both their games this year so ... every team in the competition has got their strengths. "They're probably all still working out the best way to play their games but certainly with St George, moving the ball and offloading the ball, that's a really strong suit of theirs." Meanwhile, Melbourne chief executive Justin Rodski confirmed the NRL had approved cap dispensation for medically-retired prop Christian Welch. "Our request for cap relief has been approved in principle," Rodski told AAP. "We are still working through this with the NRL to determined date and amount of dispensation." That will free up an additional six-figure sum for the Storm this year to help keep Wishart, who will become a free agent on November 1. Bellamy rated 25-year-old Wishart as valuable as his star-studded spine. "Without a doubt - he seems to be able to come on in any position at any time. He gets the job done," the coach said. "That's really helpful to have a player in your squad that can do that."
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Sam Thaiday goes public with game-changing call that has unlocked Payne Haas
Broncos legend Sam Thaiday has praised a tweak from new coach Michael Maguire that has helped really unlock Payne Haas' influence on games and turned him into an even more formidable weapon for Brisbane. Haas has started the new season in devastating fashion to cement his status as the NRL's premier middle forward and Maguire's management of his playing time has helped Haas take his game to another new level. The 25-year-old has always been renowned for playing big minutes and going long stretches in games without a break. Haas' extraordinary workrate, coupled with his size, power and footwork have made him a handful for opposition defences and it's no surprise he's been named Brisbane's player-of-the-season five times already. But unlike former coach Kevin Walters, Brisbane mentor Maguire has preferred to use Haas in shorter bursts and with a clear message to go as hard as possible at the start of games, before being given a break before halftime. Under Walters, it would not be uncommon to see Haas play the entire first half and most of the second 40, but his average playing time has dropped by about five minutes in 2025 after featuring for 49 and 57 minutes in the opening two rounds. Maguire has also seemingly given Haas a license to unleash the offload more than we've seen from the big man in the past and it's already paying dividends for the Broncos' attack. However, Thaiday reckons that the tweak in Haas' playing time is the reason why he's looked so dangerous because it allows him to put everything into a shorter stint in the opening 40 minutes of games, before being given an extended break at halftime and the beginning of the second half. The Broncos legend - who played 304 NRL games for the club - says it's also the blueprint he believes will help prolong Haas' career. 'It felt like as a 19-year-old, he was carrying the whole of the Broncos on his shoulders,' Thaiday told Nine Newspapers. 'His body is going to get banged around no matter what, and the level of commitment from Payne Haas from a representative point of view is only going to make his career tougher. 'I would love to see Payne Haas there for the next 10 years-plus playing some great, consistent footy. I don't want his body to fall apart, and I understand playing in the front row is not an easy thing to do." Thaiday used North Queensland's former Dally M Medal-winning forward Jason Taumalolo as the perfect example of a player whose body had begun to let him down after copping years of punishment playing through the middle. "Jason Taumalolo signed a 10-year deal with the Cowboys, and is coming to the end of it now... his body is really slowing him down from being the player we all know he is," Thaiday added. 'Hopefully in hindsight, we look back and say this was a brilliant idea to limit his minutes. That might be a way of preserving Payne Haas for a long-term future at the Broncos.' Bulldogs great and former NSW and Kangaroos prop Willie Mason is also a big fan of the way Maguire has been using Haas and says he's shocked it's taken this long for Brisbane to unleash him in such a way. "Someone's finally figured out how to coach Payne Haas," he said on the Levels podcast with Willie Mason and Justin Horo. "Play him 30 minutes, front-load, (say) 'give me everything and I'll give you a rest'. Then see how we go in the back half and then destroy the back half, that's how you do it. "I've been saying it for three or four years that's how you should play Payne Haas. Because sometimes when he knows he's going to be out there for 60 minutes pretty much straight (he is not as effective). But 30 minutes, look what he did. He can singlehandedly destroy a team by himself." RELATED: Brandon Smith's move to Souths sparks 'brutal' reality for $650k star Panthers in telling backflip on Blaize Talagi after Parramatta switch Calls for Billy Slater to hand State of Origin debut to Queensland gun Shifting rep star Patrick Carrigan from lock to prop and having him work in tandem with Haas is also looking like a masterstroke from Maguire. Carrigan's class and ability to play huge minutes in the middle means Brisbane are still dangerous even without Haas on the field and Mason believes Maguire has got his strategy with Haas spot-on. "You can leave (Pat) Carrigan out there for 60 or 70 minutes because he's a weapon. You don't stop Carrigan," Mason added. "But when Payne Haas front-loads you've got that different power, different footwork, he can just really destroy lines by himself. And offloads, he can do whatever he wants. He's more destructive in that 55-60 minutes than he was in 80.
