Opinion
Ryan Papenhuyzen came to the rescue of Craig Bellamy’s 500-game celebration with a spectacular field goal to give a complacent Melbourne Storm a pulsating win over South Sydney in extra time.
The Storm, who jumped the Rabbitiohs in the first half, nearly squandered their advantage when they blew a 14-point lead to let the Sydneysiders level things at full-time through a Latrell Michelle field goal seconds from full time.
The effervescent Papenhuyzen, cool and calm, pulled off a miraculous golden point win when he cleverly jinked through the advancing defence, then nailed a superb drop-goal minutes into extra time in front of an elated home crowd for the first time in almost a year.
An undermanned and down-to-12-men Storm were battling against the tide when Mitchell re-energised Souths to level scores.
But Melbourne’s fantastic coach was not to be denied acknowledgement for a fantastic run with this great side, as they executed a masterplan to seal the win.
The Storm continue to defy all odds, despite losing key players to opposing clubs, thanks to a coaching genius in Bellamy who continues to manufacture stars of the future each season.
(Photo by Robert Prezioso/Getty Images)
Experts write them off each year, as poaching threatens to destabilise this smooth machine.
But the unassuming Bellamy continues to stump opposing clubs. Through his astute methods he has taken Melbourne to dizzy heights that surely has even his former mentor, Wayne Bennett, baffled but in awe of his achievements.
The champion team have always worked off a nucleus of talent that drives them to success – no more so than Cameron Smith, Billy Slater, and Cooper Cronk, which has now become Brandon Smith, Jahrome Hughes and Papenhuyzen, who have harnessed the talent around them to again be a potent force.
As he ponders life after coaching, the football world hope Bellamy stays on because of the legacy he has created.
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