It’s not a lack of playing talent that is holding back the NRL, it’s a lack of genuine coaching talent. In a competition of sheep, Craig Bellamy has been the shepherd for many years now.
Often imitated yet never duplicated, Bellamy’s tactics have become the blueprint for the rest of the NRL.
Over the past two rounds I have noticed yet another innovation which will probably become common place.
The Tigers charged to the 2005 grand final off the back of some scintillating attacking players, fuelled by lightning quick play the balls.
Craig Bellamy recognised that slowing down these play-the-balls was key to dominating a game of rugby league.
With this; wrestling went from strictly men in tights to including men in purple jerseys as well.
In 2013, wrestling is cited as a cancerous blight on the great game of rugby league, thanks to every other club looking at what the Storm have done and desperately trying to make it work for them.
The ‘block’ plays which are so common place were popularised by the Melbourne Storm. The Storm used their three key playmakers – Smith, Cronk, Slater – and created a shape which allowed them each to have an opportunity to find a chink in the defence.
A player out the back, a forward running at the inside shoulder and one of the most dangerous players in the competition with the ball in hand.
It was just a matter of making the right decision; out the back if the defence has the short ball covered, short ball if the defence are focused on the man out the back or straighten up and run through the line if the defence is sliding too hard.
And it has of course been adopted by every other team in the country.
I doubt Bellamy completely invented this style of attacking manoeuvre, but he undoubtedly tweaked it to perfection and brought it into twenty-first century rugby league vogue.
The difference is Bellamy tweaked this play to suit the players he had, while most other coaches tweaked their players to try and fit into the Bellamy play.
A notable exception is Des Hasler.
Recognising he had some average halves but very talented ball-playing forwards at Canterbury in 2012, he allowed his front rowers to do a lot of the ball-playing.
This not only created an attacking threat which many teams were not used to facing, but allowed the forwards to make extra yardage down the middle when they chose to run as the defence were in two minds thanks to the passing threat.
This also allowed the Dogs best attacking weapon, Ben Barba, to thrive off offloads and short passes through the middle of the ruck.
It comes as no surprise that a coach like Hasler, who chose to develop a game plan to suit his team rather than simply imitate another coach, was the one that faced off against Melbourne in the 2012 grand final.
Like the block plays, the Storm didn’t invent the inside ball.
But using Cameron Smith’s speed out of dummy half and Billy Slater’s pace, they created an out-ball/in-ball move which has worked wonders for them.
It works with Smith eliminating the markers, Cronk drawing the sliding defence and Slater flying through the gap created.
Most teams have tried to imitate this move with limited success – some even use it with props!
The latest move is yet another creative play by Bellamy in a competition dearth of creativity.
After many seasons with the focus on ‘hot lines’ and ‘straightening the attack’, Bellyache has found a way to utilise the ‘cold’ line, or trying to run around the outside shoulder rather than cutting back into the inside shoulder.
The Storm have recognised the tight, jamming in defence most teams use to defend scrums and used it to create a move which gets a flying winger going at pace getting around the opposite winger.
The player is moving at such speed after starting their run to create the extra man from the centre of the field that the defenders simply can’t keep up once the key man, usually Sisa Waqa or Justin O’Neill, receive the ball.
It created two tries against the Warriors and one against the Raiders, with the flying flanker either passing to his opposite man or driving over the line himself.
This may seem like an innocuous play to some, but it is truly a demonstration of why Craig Bellamy is one of, if not the, best in the business. There is no side that utilises the cold line or the scrum in this way, but don’t be surprised if there’s plenty attempting it in 2014.
Rest assured Bellamy will have a new ploy by then anyway. Craig Bellamy, the hipster of the NRL coaching ranks.
Anakin
Guest
hahahaha - love it - I'm gonna pinch that ... "I was to be the chosen one! It was said that I would destroy the Sith, not join them. I was to bring balance to the force, not leave it in darkness! Yet my anger and my lust for power have already done that… I have allowed the dark lord to twist my mind until now I have become the very thing I swore to destroy..." Hang on, in that case, some would have me believe I am the Melbourne Storm and/or Craig Bellamy?? BAHAHAHA
Anakin
Guest
No Mals, I havent .. but what about the games at the big stadiums - you cant tell me the whole crowd is there for one team??
liatrevlis
Guest
Nothin cool about yesterday's news ,, What would you know about $$$$$$$. , when your life revolves around centre link benefits ,
Wozza
Guest
Fark don't get him started .....
Meesta Cool
Guest
BORING,,, look at your own lot mate.. I love to watch em, but not many angels in Manly team... Slater v Matai who is the most likely to end someone's career. be honest mate and have a look at your own mob before criticising ANYONE for playing outside the safety barrier. AND, you don;t think that your team took Meesta Dank's drugs a couple of years ago (The year you won 40-0 ) head out of the sand mate, taking drugs is just the SAME as getting a bit of extra financial reward for winning games -- on second thoughts , ITS WORSE.
Meesta Cool
Guest
hasn't done much for a few a few highly payed individuals Woz, I am sure you can look at a few 'bought teams' and find that money doesn't always create greatness. Meesta Smith realises this and may take steps that will reward the teams that are nurturing their own young players and slipping them into the system, someone had to realise this as fact, Meesta Sith took just one season to find out,, why hasn't this been acted on before. Ooops sorry, I forgot that Oikees Dinosaurs and Deadbeats were running our sport.
Meesta Cool
Guest
You are a little 'off track here Eagle, Most Sydney Clubs, play the majority of games against Sydney clubs in Sydney, that is two sets of supporters can make it to each game. Melbourne play home games against Interstate clubs and almost match most clubs average gates (with only a few opposition fans able to make the trip)!, comparison on gates to support cannot be made. otherwise a fair comment!.
Meesta Cool
Guest
Hi Listra, If I remember rightly you are a Manly fan, no need to say more... What the hel, let's have an old quote "People in glass houses should not throw stones".. As for Jack Tiger, so sorry mate, your intelligence caused you to criticise my team, -- answer as per reply to Listra's..
Benny
Guest
Canberrs in 91' were not severely punished. They kept their premiership and all the players stayed together? And it is still documented but mal and Daley are still loved. Storm were stripped of 2 premierships and over half a million. They were severely punished and rightly so. Belemy had the big three long before the cap rorting started. He recruited (with help) and brought them up to what they are. Which is what he tirelessly does, he doesn't chase players with money, he finds talent and nurtures it and overpays them, he didn't buy that Aussie spine like you keep suggesting, HE found, recruited and mentored them, very impressive thing he had done, you could almost say that Belamy created this 'Australian spine' and Inglis (even Falou) Which is impressive yet again. Another thing you continue to forget is that all clubs were doing it, Melb just stupid enough and successful enough to be caught. Don't try to be ignorant about that fact, just because you are filthy about a team from Victoria is successful. Belamy had to release several players including Inglis and had still managed to win another premiership and club challenge, it is a remarkable effort considering without Inglis for two games the bunnies already have lost top spot, blown out in premiership odds and actually look weak. I don't particularly like storm or Belamy but he had done a remarkable job, stuck down in AFL territory, found his own talent, had to constantly travel around, the longest trips in NRL, even winning minor premierships still had to travel for finals, continual poaching of his players he creates, has basically trained and mentored the best of th Qld and Aussie team, that fact has nothing to do with cap breaches either, that is what an important coach he is.
Mals
Guest
You obviously haven't been to many games at Brookvale Oval. Sydney based opposition teams are lucky to get 1,000 travelling supporters to Brookvale.
al
Guest
Bellamy is the best coach in the business. Don't blame him for the wrestle. He didn't make the rules. He's just the best at playing the rules he's been given. Blame the NRL management for the rulemaking. And stop being jealous. I hate the wrestle too. There should be focus on rules changing, not blaming the coaches.
Renegade
Guest
Really.....It doesn't seem to be enough to motivate half the players currently in the NRL (Benji, Sandow, Blair, The Cowboys, etc)
Jack Tiger
Roar Rookie
Dogs 02 and Canberra 91 were 1 year salary cap breaches, and they were punished accordingly. Compare that to 5 years of systematic salary cap rorting, thats 5 years of cheating that has tarnished Rugby League forever. And thanks for twisting the knife about the Tigers, why dont you tell me something I dont already know.
des' right hand
Guest
this article is about the storm not the dogs or canberra my friend.. and please parramatta had the spoon wrapped up before the season started and will secure it next year as well.. i feel for them but it is going to happen there team is just not good enough. peats? norman? two old english guys from an inferior comp? maybe hoppa if he doesnt jump ship and return to manly! they are gooooneski
Jack Tiger
Roar Rookie
Is that all you got Meesta Cool? You obviously dont have the intelligence to come up with a justified response, so instead you decide to bag the Tigers. I know my team is rubbish, but thanks for reminding me anyway. Nice work champ!
Jack Tiger
Roar Rookie
40-0, cheats, enough said.
SuperEel22
Roar Guru
I'd say that the Dragons popularised the block plays given they won a Premiership off the back of the one play. And like above, Bellamy would've achieved nothing had the Storm not cheated and kept their Big 3. Remove that spine and you remove Melbourne.
des' right hand
Guest
+1 mate. Love the fact you mentioned the forty nil huha Manllllllayyyy!
des' right hand
Guest
I totally agree with tiger jack. They cheated they got bashed 40 - 0 and bellamy didnt want to goto dragons because he wouldn't of had the AUST number 1 7 and 9 making him look like the 'best coach hands down' as one of you so called Nrl fans wrote. Keep it up tigerjack agree on the wrestling tactics too Melbourne brought that in and it isn't in the spirit of the game
Liatrevlis
Guest
Yeah Billey did good for Wolfman that night , however watch the highlights reel of the 08 GF and the same bloke could have put Robertson , Williams and Stewart in hospital with that dreadful style of his when attempting to stop a try, sure he's changed but you seen him take a bomb , one day those boots are gonna do some damage, anyways storm suck , they robbed parra cause they cheated to get where they were , they cheated other sides , they cheated NRL fans , sponsors THEY HAD TO CHEAT TO GET TO WE'RE THEY ARE !!