With less than a minute to go in the Grand Final, the Melbourne Storm were 10 points up. With the ball deep in their half, the Premiership was theirs and the supporters were celebrating.
But Craig Bellamy refused to believe it just yet: “Craig Bellamy can’t relax. Refuses to relax…refuses!”, was the amusing observation made by Phil Gould.
And now the club and its supporters can’t relax. St George Illawarra have launched a voracious assault on the southern capital in an attempt to lure the great man north.
Ever since Bellamy said he was a 50-50 chance of leaving his beloved Storm players, the club has realised the odds are stacked against them.
Reports have stated that they hope his love for the place and the bond forged by the salary cap drama will outweigh the money offered by the Dragons.
Money, however, shouldn’t be an issue. The News Ltd club should be able to match the offer – and the length of tenure, as confirmed by CEO Ron Gauci: “He has the role for as long as he wants as long as I’m in the chair.”
The suggestion that he may want to move closer to his family would appear a valid one and apparently was a consideration during negotiations for his previous contract.
But that can now be ignored, as the major factor at least, because he admitted to being interested in an earlier offer from the Warriors who are situated even further from his original home.
Although undisputedly one of the great coaches, he was also the coach of a side that rorted the salary cap, perfected the unpopular wrestle in tackles, and has been the nemesis of Sydney clubs for a long period.
Perhaps he is seeking acceptance and forgiveness in the heartland of the competition.
But the most likely reason for his departure, it seems, would be to seek a new challenge – like his former mentor Wayne Bennett – at the Dragons.
Immediately after the Grand Final it was impossible not to believe he would be at the Storm until the end of his coaching life.
The unadulterated hugs he gave to his second sons Billy Slater and Cameron Smith, and the players whose careers he had resurrected, Jaiman Lowe and Bryan Norrie, were a clear illustration of his feelings towards his men and the sense of redemption after the devastating salary cap affair.
He often said he couldn’t stomach coaching against his stars in Origin so it’s hard to imagine him doing the same throughout an NRL season.
Surely, he wouldn’t want to the see the club he built slowly fall away in his absence like the Broncos after Bennett’s departure.
The club’s three superstars have decided to call Melbourne home but without Bellamy’s unique ability to instil discipline while also conveying affection, to inspire and retain young talent, and to transform rejects into top rung contributors, the team’s fortunes will surely suffer.
For Storm supporters, it’s difficult to admit that his Grand Final hugs may have been farewell ones.
Hez
Roar Rookie
Concur with the closer to home theory, especially if he wants to retire so young, can only be to play with the grand kids and soak up the fruits of his spoils.
Terry Kidd
Guest
Thanks Rabby you hit the nail on the head. Bellamy has already achieved after the salary cap storm and has earned redemption. This could be the only reason he may now depart ... he has achieved the ultimate and might need a new challenge to refresh his coaching desire. I think it is a long shot still, but it would not surprise me to see him move to the Dragons simply because it would be a new challenge closer to home on his final contract.
Dragoon
Guest
Yeah if I had News Ltd backing me and formed the team out of remnants of 3 other teams (plus a News Ltd loan - Glenn Lazarus) I would have "won" a premiership in my second year (before Bellamy), "won" 2 other premierships, 2? other GF appearances all in 15 years) and been in the finals in nearly all the years since I started and attracted all the top class players to cold RL outpost like melbournen. At one stage they had 9 internationals plus 2 SOO players on their list. You dont find that odd. To think he was signing all those Storm players without knowing the financial issues and limits he was under is beyond belief. If he was told they were backloading the contracts why didnt he look at the contracts to see if had any cap room in 2014 onwards etc all part of a coaches planning. News will have to pay him heaps for him to keep his mouth shut. Bellamy was sacked from SOO NSW coach but unfair to judge him on that...
Rabby
Guest
Another measure of greatness might be the number of times in your career as a coach that you got sacked. Right now, I can only think of 2 coaches that have never suffered this ignominy.
Dragoon
Guest
Yeah but somehow the Storm managed to sign Inglis and Folau who were the best juniors in Australia. Sheens has said he couldnt match the money that the Storm were paying juniors to go to melbourne. And funny the captain of NZ schoolboys RU turned his back on the RU and Warriors to go to Melbourne. Dont blame News Ltd. Fairfax newspapers are just as bad when money is involved. I was in Canberra on the weekend and this puff piece had pride of place when there is buckloads of cricket, soccer and tennis going on... http://www.canberratimes.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/we-can-win-the-comp-raiders-say-20130105-2cajg.html
Ken
Guest
I think there's a bit of mythology about Bellamy's magic transforming of nobodies. Jason Ryles for example, a guy who played for NSW and Australia for half a decade, was 'fixed' by Bellamy. Brett Finch is also named in this thread, who also played Origin before going to Melbourne. The Storm never bought rep players? Chase Stanley was an exciting young player who was playing for New Zealand when he was poached from the Dragons. Yes, all the big names were brought to the club young, but that had little to do with Bellamy. I can't stomach the argument that this talent couldn't have blossomed elsewhere. Surely no-one would suggest that if Aaron Payne had been at Melbourne and Cam Smith at the Cowboys, then Payne would now be considered the best player in the world?
Ken
Guest
Sorry bit late on the reply. Just to be clear Scott, I believe Bellamy is one of the better coaches going around. However, you can't deny the amount of raw young talent that he had at his disposal was more than any other coach. The salary cap stuff, though not necessarily his fault, also meant that he could surround that young talent with a higher class of player than he otherwise would have. The players all feed off each other too, personally I believe Cronk, now one of the best players in the game, would probably have been just a solid first grader if he didn't develop with Smith feeding him and Slater running off his shoulder. As an analogy Bellamy is a bit like the rich kid that runs a successful business. He may well be that good, but he's also had a lot of leg-ups that others didn't have access to. Personally I don't think he'll be remembered as one of the great coaches unless he replicates that success elsewhere without those leg-ups.
Rabby
Guest
During the Salary Cap saga, Gus Gould challenged David Gallop on live TV and pointed out that just about every player in the Storm teams that won the 2007 and 2009 Grand Finals debuted for the Storm under Bellamy's guidance. He rattled off the names one by one by one and it was embarrassing. Quite apart from the point Gus was making about the purpose of the cap was another point about how many top rate professionals Bellamy had brought through from nowhere. If one were to list out all the players who ever played in a GF and had started their NRL careers under Craig, one would have a very long list indeed and if that isn't proof of a good coach then I don't know what is.
Rabby
Guest
I second that. A strong Melbourne Storm is good for the game.
bbt
Guest
What is not mentioned, is Bellamy's contribution to making Storm part of the Melbourne sporting landscape. He took that challenge on as well and has succeeded admirably. I don't think contributors outside of Melbourne appreciate that effort. All the NRL teams and fans benefit.
Damn Straight
Roar Rookie
Gee I don't know about that Ken... I'm sure Brian Smith would find a way to f*ck that up.
Pot Stirrer
Guest
Anakin, Oford went on to win a GF with the eagles and selected to play SOO. Your getting mixed up with recent times.. Brett Finch was the next big thing when he was playing inside Fitler at the Roosters but when Fitler retired he was crap. At the Storm he has Cronk. and Smith.
Pot Stirrer
Guest
Scott Given Slater Cronk and Smioths work ethic to thier footy i think they would have become the players they are regardless. I Coached my son in footy for a lot of years and in that team i had 1 player who went on to play in an NRL GF and another who won the Super Rugby with QLD Reds both from the same u/15 side and i can tell you you could see the difference, not only ability but attitude and whilst i had no idea they would go as far as they did they were a class above and imo it would have been the same with the big three from the Storm. Especially Slater with his speed and courage. So whilst Bellamy nutured them through he wasnt actually coaching them in thier development. We will have to agree to disagree as i firmly believe any average player who gets to play in a champion team with three super stars is obviously going to appear better than they actually are. As it was with the side i coached who went through undefeated on the back of the 2 blokes i mentioned.
Anakin
Guest
That he may have done, and like Cyril connell at the Broncos, and Cleal as well, these top notch recruitment guys are gold - but at the end of the day the coach has to be convinced the player fits the mould the coach wants them to, and then has to get them there. How many players have we seen tipped to be the next big thing when they make their NRL debut, or after 1 good season, only to be thrown onto the "potential" pile soon thereafter. One would be a fool to discount Bellamys influence at the storm, and on the players under him. Dont have to believe me - ask the players!!!
Andrew Sutherland
Roar Guru
Scott, I remember when Orford left without notice it appeared they had been lumbered with a run-of-the-mill utility by the name of Cooper Cronk! I felt for poor Ryles who missed the Grand Final due to injury. He was outstanding all season.
ScottWoodward.me
Roar Guru
Roarsome Peter OSullivan (now at Roosters) recruited most of Bellamys top players.
ScottWoodward.me
Roar Guru
Pot Only 2 juniors Inglis and Folau were ever certain to be super stars when they arrived in Melb. Everyone else worked hard under Bellamys guidance and that includes the big 3. Class players leave him and are not as good and journey men come to him and improve. Jason Ryles is a good example of a guy who had bad hands and made a lot of mistakes. Many good coaches could not fix his problem but Bellamy did. The list goes on....... I probably rate Bennett in front of him at the moment but there is no doubt he will retire the best ever IMO.
Anakin
Guest
Great to see Roarsome & Rabby weigh in with this argument - saves me stating exactly the same thing. When Bellamy took over the storm, Cameron Smith was 19yrs old and was playing second string behind Richard Swain; Matt 'Ox' Orford was halfback (gee, he really shone once leaving storm didn't he?!) & Cooper Cronk was playing for Norths in Brissie (yet was asked to train with storms top squad); and Billy Slater was making his debut in the big time .. after Bellamy rated his tenacity and raw talent in the off season - noting he was not contracted at that point!! Hardly sounds to me like Bellamy was handed "the big 3" on a platter to build his teams around.
Gus Paella
Guest
Bellamy is a great coach, the Storm are a great club and even if he chooses to leave he will remain a favourite son in Melbourne for the winning culture he has developed. -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download it now [http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/the-roar/id327174726?mt=8].
Rabby
Guest
I have seen this argument about Bellamy's success being simply because he has Cronk, Smith and Slater in the team but I don't buy it. Firstly, Bellamy came to Melbourne when Slater/Cronk/Inglis/Smith were nobodies so it could be reasonably argued that it was Bellamy that turned these guys into Superstars rather than the other way round. Sure there was raw talent there to begin with but spotting that and developing it year in year out is pretty much the definition of a good coach. Then we have his reputation for taking players rejected by other clubs (e.g. Brett Finch, Jason Ryles) and giving them a new lease of life, perceived faults with a particular player suddenly seeming to evaporate. whilst the opposite is also true. Players with big reputations leaving the storm on big money tickets only to fail to deliver (Adam Blair anyone). It can be no coincidence that everyone seems to play better under Craig. But there can be no bigger testimony to a coaches reputation than to take a post salary cap fiasco decimated squad with low self esteem and to rebuild that squad with youngsters and journey men to win the minor prem in just one year and the premiership in two. Bellamy is a great coach whichever way you look at it.