The Storm coach has committed to leading the club in 2025 in what will be his 23rd NRL season in charge.
Craig Bellamy has committed his future to Melbourne for at least another season. The Storm coach on Friday announced he will coach Melbourne for a 23rd NRL season in 2025 ahead of their top-of-the-table clash with Cronulla at AAMI Park.
Bellamy signed a unique five-year contract with the Storm 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. And ahead of the team’s final training session before their round ten clash with the Sharks, Bellamy confirmed he will remain at the helm in 2025.
“The main reason that I’m staying on is the people in the club at the moment, right from the top through to the players, coaching staff, we’ve got a whole heap of really good people here,” Bellamy said on Friday. “I’m happy to still be here and really enjoying it … I’m enjoying working with the players and I think we’ve got a pretty talented group this year.”
Bellamy said he had been visited by senior members of the playing group, namely Cameron Munster about their desire for him to remain as coach. Last year the Melbourne five-eighth said he would have left for the Dolphins if not for Bellamy and the Storm star iconically talked the coach into staying last year. And this year was no different.
He (Munster) came about two weeks ago, that was his usual visit, and a couple of the other senior players spoke to me as well,” Bellamy said.
“I wanted to make sure they were happy for me to stay on as well, as sometimes you wear a bit thin and obviously I’m getting to the older age bracket too and some things these days that happen are a little bit modern for me, but they came in and encouraged me to go on, so that was a big part of making the decision I’ve made.”
