If Craig Bellamy can get this Storm side back into the top four and into premiership contention, it will be up there with his finest achievements as a coach even if they don’t go all the way.
The Storm are rated the third favourites to win the NRL this year behind Penrith and the Roosters but that high rating is based more on their history of success rather than the state of play.
They’re by no means struggling for talent but after losing a mountain of experience in the off-season and facing a mounting injury toll heading into Round 1, the forecast is clouded … by the Storm stratospheric standards.
You could make a strong case for the Rabbitohs and Cowboys and even the Eels and Sharks being better bets to get their hands on the trophy on Grand Final night.
CLICK HERE for a seven-day free trial for your favourite sport on KAYO
It will be tough to get a true gauge on the Storm’s premiership credentials when they kick off the season against Parramatta at CommBank Stadium on Thursday night.
(Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
Both teams are legit contenders but will both be without several stars – the Eels will be without the healthy, wealthy and suspended Ryan Matterson, as well as fellow forwards Shaun Lane (broken jaw) and Nathan Brown (hamstring strain).
The Storm’s injury woes are part of the reason why Bellamy is facing a mammoth task to not only extend his Round 1 unbeaten streak – the Storm have not lost a season opener since 2001 before he took over from Mark Murray – but to also compete with the competition heavyweights.
Star fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen looks like he won’t be sighted until midway through the season due to the shattered kneecap he suffered last year against Canberra.
Then there’s centre Justin Olam out with a broken arm and prop Tui Kamikamica who has a foot complaint who won’t be sighted until at least Round 5.
Veteran duo Tariq Sims and Tepai Moeroa are out for a couple more weeks with calf problems, fellow forward Tom Eisenhuth is also sidelined for Round 1 with a back issue while centre Marion Seve and winger George Jennings have been laid low by illness and knee complaints.
And to top it off young winger Dean Ieremia tore his ACL in their trial win over the Warriors and won’t play at all this season.
It got to the point where the club needed to get an exemption from the NRL to draft in four players from outside their main roster to have enough fit bodies to form a squad to face the Eels with centre Young Tonumaipea and bench forward Chris Lewis getting starts on Thursday night.
And then there’s the fact that Bellamy had to say farewell to the premiership-winning quartet of Jesse and Kenny Bromwich, Felise Kaufusi and Brandon Smith in the off-season as the Dolphins and Roosters swooped with lucrative offers.
Nick Meaney is a capable replacement for Papenhuyzen at fullback and Bellamy still has an all-star spine of Cameron Munster, Jahrome Hughes and Harry Grant.
With Queensland duo Christian Welch and Xavier Coates, Olam, Kamikamica and Nelson Asofa-Solomona – when he’s at his damaging best and not dishing out cheap shots – there’s plenty of talent on the roster.
But this Melbourne line-up does not have the aura of the powerful squads of the recent past.
Cameron Smith leads the Storm’s 2020 celebrations. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
Bellamy not only navigated the gradual exit of superstar club stalwarts Cooper Cronk, Billy Slater and Cameron Smith in recent years but defied predictions of a Storm drop-off to keep the team at the pointy end of the ladder.
The fact that last year’s fifth-placed finish was their worst result since 2014 tells you all you need to know about the lofty expectations for perennial success at the Victorian powerhouse.
There are five clubs – the Wests Tigers, St George Illawarra, Warriors, Knights, and Gold Coast – who haven’t finished as high as Storm’s worst result over the same timeframe.
The standout achievements in Bellamy’s career are his three premiership triumphs. (The other two grand final results were not wins due to the salary cap rorting later uncovered – the Storm finished with more points those two nights in 2007 and ‘09 but just like Ben Johnson when he crossed the finish line first at the 1988 Olympics, nothing was won).
His effort to keep the team united in 2010 when the salary cap punishments were handed down and the Storm had to play most of the season without the possibility of earning competition points stands alongside the three titles as his finest coaching display.
They received the wooden spoon but finished with a 14-10 record which would have placed them fifth overall.
Anyway, that’s ancient history now and sprinkling his magic on the 2023 roster is Bellamy’s sole focus as he shelves the annual “will he retire” debate for another few months before probably deciding he still can’t shake the coaching bug yet again.
“We’ve had a few personnel changes with a few injuries so what we thought at the start of pre-season that our 17 would be, that’s obviously changed a lot,” Bellamy told reporters in Melbourne on Wednesday after the team finalised preparations before hopping on a flight to Sydney.
“We’ve just had to work hard on the combinations and hopefully, it can click a little bit tomorrow night.”
Apart from the 2010 season of salary cap sanctions, the Storm have never finished lower than sixth in Bellamy’s 20 years at the helm.
With all their injuries and stars leaving, Melbourne could be struggling to keep that record intact this season … but don’t bet on it.
Joe
Roar Rookie
Saw the other article on Roar saying streak started in 2001 so 21 years.
Panthers
Guest
Bellamy’s system has been the best for 20 years. No one could replicate the Storm system or equal what they achieved for 20 years. With their positions on the table. As a supporter of another club, you know they’ve been good , but don’t really realise just how good until that record has been actually pointed out with those stats. So wouldn’t question what they are capable of , or could have done at any time. Just leave us with Geyer , Jenkins & Riki . :stoked:
Joe
Roar Rookie
That streak of first round wins definitely going to be in danger this evening...is it going on 16 years now? Regardless I don't know if that streak will ever be beaten. If you think about how much changed over that time period, not only the team but even rules, coaching staff, game changes...crazy record.
Dionysus
Guest
Albo, I agree with your comment but I also think the reverse is true, Bellyache has Bellamy to thank for him achieving legendary status. Without Craig's influence early on in his career, I am not sure that Cam achieves quite so much as he has.
Bernie
Roar Rookie
only surpassed by Smith's legendary status as a referee.
Tom G
Roar Rookie
Great side, great coach no doubts but ranking them as certs for the four this year given the lost personnel and injuries could be a stretch. Having said that their culture alone is worth about 10 points a game. Their halves and hooker are excellent, not so sure about Papenhyuzen’s understudy. Meaney is a decent but far from spectacular player. The forwards have been gutted and yet the role these guys have played almost ignored by pundits
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
It's fair to say the Pennies wouldn't be winning titles without N.Cleary and the trouble is if he wasn't at the Pennies they would have to beat the team he was playing for. Same as if Cam Smith was at the Broncos for 15 years. Everything would be different.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
To finish the first line , I meant to add after ''the longer time goes on ........... it's titles which are remembered , rightly or wrongly, and Bellamy for all his amazing feats probably won't be fully recognised. Never losing a 1st round game is amazing along with making the top 4 just about all the time.
Albo
Roar Rookie
100% Duncan !
Duncan Smith
Roar Guru
So, are you saying Ivan Cleary can thank his own son for Ivan's status as a coach?
Dan
Roar Rookie
If anything, the 12 years since the salary cap scandal have shown that their record would likely be a couple of legitimate premierships better than it currently is! We've yet to see them win a premiership without Cam Smith, but they've won without Slater, Inglis and Cronk. They have certainly proved they can find/develop a replacement for players leaving. For instance if Cronk left at that time maybe Maloney stays haha
Panthers
Guest
Never lower than sixth is an incredible record , other than the 2010 year. It really gives the Storm supporters something to look forward to every year. Plus , excellent value for their sponsors. Although, if they hadn’t gone out of their way to cheat the cap for some years. Would that record be as good? Still, did it with some excellent players & some more ordinary ones, which puts them way above any other club. :thumbup:
Albo
Roar Rookie
100% Forty Twenty ! I think Bellyache can thank Cam Smith mainly, for his legendary status as a coach.
Duncan Smith
Roar Guru
They've been written off since at least the 2008 grand final loss to Manly. The replaced an aging pack with good young forwards and the return of Christian Welch, and they have probably the best spine in the NRL. They're still a good chance to make top four.
Short Memory
Roar Rookie
Sure they've let go of a core of reliable (albeit ageing) forwards. But still... The best spine in the comp. Two top rep forwards. One of the best centres in the comp (temporarily out injured). One of the most promising young wingers in the comp. One of the most versatile utilities in the comp. A surprise weapon (so Storm) poached from Rugby. I think they'll do okay.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
Bellamy's incredible run as a coach will be remembered for a long time but the longer time goes on. If the Pennies wins again this year then Cleary will have as many titles under his belt as Belly. History will view Cleary very kindly if that's the case because he didn't often coach a roster which was capable of winning the crown while Bellamy had some all time greats on board and the most influential player ever in Cameron Smith. Maybe Cleary can bag another couple of titles and end up as the master of the NRL era? I've speculated for a long time that Cameron Smith was the key figure at the Storm and the way the Storm handle big games in recent years shows it might be true.
The Barry
Roar Guru
That would an horrific injury toll midway through the season… it’s off the charts for Round 1 I think tue first ‘Storm losing their aura’ article was published around 2009. I’ve long given up writing them off… but - especially allowing for their current injuries - they do look more vulnerable than they have for a long time Having said that, how truly “vulnerable” is a team with Munster, Grant and Hughes in key positions, top tier support cast in NAS, Welch, Kamikamica, Olam, Sims, Coates and very solid role players in Smith, Meneay, King, etc plus Papenhuyzen to come back (hopefully) at some stage. I’d love to have a roster that vulnerable ! It’s interesting to see how they start the season with so many injuries and how that impacts their season. They typically jump out of the gates well, banking wins, allowing them to nurse their stars through Origin and time their run Could be interesting to see how Bellamy approaches the season if they have a slow start and a bit of ladder pressure If they’re well positioned when they start getting guns back it will be business as usual