NRL 2022: How Andrew Johns convinced Craig Bellamy to coach on at Melbourne Storm

Six weeks ago Craig Bellamy had all but decided to call time on his coaching career — that’s until one of the greatest players in rugby league history convinced the Storm coach to stay another year.

Craig Bellamy has committed to a further year as head coach of the Melbourne Storm. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy was ready to draw the curtain on his illustrious coaching career six weeks ago.

Then, out of the blue, he received a phone call from rugby league Immortal Andrew Johns.

Over the course of their conversation, Johns reminded Bellamy he was one of the greatest coaches in the game’s history. He urged him to keep going and told him he would be mad to retire.

Bellamy hung up the phone and his mind had been changed.

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“Joey Johns rang me about a month ago,” Bellamy told News Corp.

“I reckon then I was ready to go the other way. But he made a couple of points to me that I hadn’t really thought of, a couple of his experiences.

Craig Bellamy has committed to a further year as head coach of the Melbourne Storm. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

“He was the one who swung me the other way. He just gave me his opinion and it struck a bit of a chord. It’s not as if I speak to him every two weeks — more like once or twice a year. It came out of the blue.

“He wanted to make a point — his experience with his career.”

Johns was delighted to know that Bellamy was going round again but surprised to hear of his role in his decision.

“He (would have been) mad to retire,” Johns said.

“You talk about the best coaches ever and he is in the top three. What he has done with that club — the club has totally reinvented itself two or three times.

“Other clubs lose champions and they just go into a hole. When you talk about best coaches, he is in the argument as the best ever.

“I pretty much said you are crazy if you finish up, you have so much to offer. Oh well, I have done something right lately.

“It is good — he should just keep going.”

Bellamy on Wednesday confirmed he would coach on for his 21st season after informing Storm chair Matt Tripp that he wanted to take up an option in his lucrative deal for 2023.

Chief executive Justin Rodski was then tasked with informing the playing group over lunch at Sunshine Coast Stadium, where the team was in camp preparing for Saturday night’s game against North Queensland in Townsville.

“They were all good — there was a bit of booing but it was in the right spirit,” Bellamy said.

His decision means the club has 12 months to prepare for his departure, although he has ongoing options in his contract which come into effect at the end of March every year.

Andrew Johns told Craig Bellamy he would be mad to retire. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

He was initially expected to make a call on his future weeks ago but the club gave him more time to reach a decision. Thankfully they did because back then, Bellamy may have given it away.

Asked why he considered stepping down when he appears to be coaching as well as ever, Bellamy said: “I am 63 — I will be 64 at the end of the year — I just don’t want to be too old to be able to enjoy life a bit.

“I don’t think I am going to be a traveler. I have four grandkids now and I love spending time with them. With this job, even with three of them living in Melbourne, I don’t get to see them that much.

“Not having to get up every morning and be thinking about footy and handling the team today, trying to get over the disappointment or elation of the weekend, I was just looking for a different lifestyle.”

Bellamy has overseen the club’s transition from the big three — Cameron Smith, Cooper Cronk and Billy Slater — and there will be more change at the end of the year when Felise Kaufusi and the Bromwich boys — Kenny and Jesse — leave for The Dolphins.

Craig Bellamy isn’t ready to walk away from coaching the Storm just yet. Picture: Kelly Defina/Getty Images

Bellamy hopes that by staying at the helm he can stem the bleeding and help convince Cameron Munster to commit his future to the Storm.

“I hope so but whether it does or not, I don’t know,” he said.

“The thing about Munster at the moment is there is no great reason for us to rush his decision. He is going to be with us next year whatever happens.

“The way he is playing his foot at the moment, I would be quite content to let it go. I would like to think we don’t need to put any pressure on him, especially the way he is playing.

“Having said that, we really want to keep him and keep him at the club - hopefully my decision helps keep him at the club.”

As for his successor, Bellamy has bought the club time to get it right. There are candidates within the Storm in Marc Brentnall and Billy Slater. Bellamy’s decision could also mean that Jason Ryles comes back into the picture — he is committed to the Sydney Roosters.

“It is not going to be my decision who takes over as coach,” he said.

“It will be up to the board to appoint the new coach. I will be asked for my opinion but whether they take notice, I don’t know.”

Originally published as NRL 2022: How Andrew Johns convinced Craig Bellamy to coach on at Melbourne Storm