Inside story of how Wests Tigers lost supercoach Craig Bellamy

On the eve of Craig Bellamy’s 500th game, the inside story on how the Wests Tigers missed the chance to sign a super coach that would have changed the club forever can finally be revealed.

Steve Noyce was carrying a powerful secret as he sat on the Wests Tigers team bus heading south from their Brisbane CBD hotel to suburban Mount Gravatt, where his side was playing the Allan Langer-led Broncos.

Players filled the back seats while club officials hitching a ride to QEII Stadium – Brisbane’s home ground in 2002 while Lang Park was being refurbished — were up the front.

Noyce, the then Tigers CEO, was waiting for a signing confirmation that would change the face of his joint-venture club – that of rising Brisbane assistant coach Craig Bellamy.

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Broncos assistant coach Craig Bellamy was in the Wests Tigers’ sights in 2002. Picture: Glenn Barnes

A few weeks earlier, Noyce had quietly flown to Brisbane and met with Bellamy at a suburban cafe in the city’s western suburbs. After their clandestine meeting, the pair had spoken a further seven or eight times. Hope was quickly becoming reality.

To ensure a clean handover, Noyce had driven to Liverpool’s Woodward Park, where incumbent coach Terry Lamb was playing touch footy for some relaxation. Lamb saw Noyce and knew what was coming – he would be sacked.

The club’s board had discussed up to five replacements. Bellamy topped the list, ahead of Australian-born Ian Millward, who was enjoying considerable success coaching St Helens in England.

Noyce further completed his due diligence by contacting Brisbane coach Wayne Bennett, seeking feedback on Bellamy. Tigers board member Ben Elias also rang Bellamy three times to sound out his thoughts on a move to Sydney.

It was so close, a Brisbane media report declared: “Broncos performance director Craig Bellamy is expected to announce this weekend that he will take the head coaching position at Wests Tigers.”

Bellamy had given every indication he was ready to finally jump into the NRL coaching furnace — but there were some private, nagging doubts.

Wests Tigers CEO Steve Noyce went after Bellamy. Picture: Mark Evans

THANKS, BUT NO THANKS

Wests had endured a difficult few seasons with poor results and multiple off-field dramas including stars Craig Field and Kevin McGuinness being handed two-year drug bans while John Hopoate was suspended for 12 matches for inserting his fingers into the backsides of three opposition players.

Noyce was selling Bellamy a pitch about the future — not the present — of a club with Balmain’s rich history along with the vast junior development pathways available in Campbelltown, the joint venture’s second geographical home.

And reports had emerged that senior players were backing Paul Langmack to succeed Lamb, directly opposing the board’s choice of Bellamy. His perceived lack of support from players had irritated Bellamy.

“We were struggling at that time and Craig was wanting to understand the bigger picture of the club,” Noyce recalled. “I flew to Brisbane and we talked a hell of a lot on the phone. He had done his apprenticeship by that time and was hungry.

“He was the best candidate for the job at the time and history now shows he has become one of the best coaches in the NRL. We had a number of chats and we had to be honest. We hadn’t set the world on fire in our first three years as a joint venture.”

Bellamy knocked back Noyce and the Tigers. Picture: Simon Renilson

But as the team bus pushed down the M1 on July 20 toward QEII Stadium – known then as ANZ Stadium and now as the Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre — Noyce’s phone rang. The conversation was respectful, yet only lasted 20 seconds.

“I’ve decided to say no, mate, I won’t take up the offer,” Bellamy told a stunned Noyce.

“I wanted a yes and he gave me a no — I was gutted and dejected sitting on the bus. I remember it like it was yesterday,” Noyce said.

“At that stage I was excited that we might have been in a position to bring in someone with such background, energy, focus and dynamics. It would have been a pretty big coup for Wests Tigers at the time.”

FAMILY AND FEUDS

Bellamy has never given his reasons to Noyce, even though the pair often catch up for a beer at Coolangatta on end-of-year holidays. Board member David Trodden always believed Bellamy wanted to protect his family from the hustle of Sydney.

“How close was he to signing? Only Craig knows that but he was keen and we weren’t wasting our time,” Noyce said.

“He had this overall view of the club and where he thought we could go. It seemed a partnership that would have worked really well. One day over a beer in Coolangatta I might ask him why he said no.

Terry lamb was announced as coach of the West tigers in 2000. Picture: John Appleyard

“We had some financial problems and player issues. We’d had some notoriety for the wrong reasons. We gave it our best shot. The cards we had weren’t great but we played them as well as we could. Unfortunately we had a few issues at the time so I was trying to paint a picture about tomorrow and the next day.”

At the time Bellamy indicated family concerns were the main reason for his decision, but admitted comments from players, led by Terry Hill, for Langmack to get the job were an issue.

“The last thing the Wests Tigers and the new coach at the Wests Tigers needs is a player-coach feud,’’ Bellamy told 2GB.

Reeling that day from the knock-back, Noyce then had to watch Brisbane wallop his side 46-14, with Bellamy helping call the shots as the assistant coach.

EYE OF THE STORM

Later that year, Bellamy signed with Melbourne. And he’s still there, having become one of the greatest coaches in rugby league’s 114-year history.

Remarkably, Bellamy will coach his 500th NRL game against South Sydney on Thursday night at AAMI Park.

Only three other coaches – Wayne Bennett (890), Tim Sheens (669) and Brian Smith (601) — have more games to their name.

Even though Bellamy relocated to another major city, Trodden’s theory may be correct, the coach preferring to leave his family behind in Queensland. His two kids – Aaron and Rachel — were also entering senior high school at the time.

Craig Bellamy will coach his 500th game on Thursday. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

“The reality was if Craig wanted the job then job then it was his,” Trodden said.

Trodden recalls Wests playing a match at Campbelltown in 2002 against a Brisbane side decimated by State of Origin representation. Even head coach Bennett, in charge of Queensland, was missing.

Somehow assistant coach Bellamy stepped forward to conjure up an epic 28-14 win with a bunch of unknown kids.

“They had virtually their whole team out. They had no chance because they had a team of nobodies,” Trodden said. “‘Bellyache’ came down and coached what was virtually a reserve-grade side and they beat us. That piqued everyone’s interest in Craig.

“I think there might have been some reluctance on the part of his family to move from Brisbane. Even when he went to Melbourne, for those first couple of years his family remained in Brisbane. Looking back, I don’t think he’s had a career with too many regrets.”

Elias wanted Bellamy, saying: “We discussed four of five coaches at board level but Craig was number one. He was our priority, no two-ways about it. ‘Noycey’ had instructions to go and get him.

“What he could have done for us, God only knows. We thought we had him – he said all the right things.”

TIME FOR TIGER TIM

After missing Bellamy, Elias attended the club’s next board meeting with a plan. He rose to his feet and asked who fellow directors to nominate the best coach in the NRL. He was told it was Bennett.

“Let’s chase him,” Elias said.

Reminded Bennett was under a watertight contract at Brisbane, Elias then said: “Well, who’s the best coach out there that’s not under contract?”

The answer was Tim Sheens, who had split the previous year with North Queensland.

Craig Bellamy chats with Tigers halfback Luke Brooks and coach Tim Sheens. Picture: Colleen Petch

Sheens had actually started private talks with then All Blacks assistant coach Robbie Deans about a possible coaching role within the New Zealand Rugby Union.

“Sheens won’t come here,” a director told Elias.

“Well, has anyone asked him? No? Well I will,” Elias replied.

The next day, Elias got Sheens’ phone number from Laurie Daley. The first call between Elias and Sheens was inhospitable, the pair had fallen out in 1991 when captain and coach of the NSW State of Origin side over an issue around Queensland hooker Steve Walters. Elias said his relationship with Sheens became “hostile and intense”.

Not expecting a call from Elias, Sheens thought it was a prank call from Daley. Sheens took Elias’ number and rang him back to ensure it wasn’t a gee-up.

Elias completed his background check on Sheens by seeking advice from Canberra legends Daley, Stuart and Bradley Clyde. Elias and Daley at the time shared the same gym at St Leonards. Noyce checked on Sheens’ availability by ringing veteran Sydney journalist Tony Adams, a known confidant to the coach.

Sheens boarded a flight from Townsville to Sydney the very next day, and a deal was struck within days.

THE PREMIERSHIP

Within three years Sheens had pulled off one of all-time great coaching feats by guiding Wests to an unlikely 2005 grand final triumph. At the time of his signing, Sheens had no idea the club had initially approached Bellamy.

“I didn’t know Craig had been interviewed, to be quite honest. It was something I found out about later on,” said Sheens, who attended a celebration dinner with Bellamy in Melbourne on Monday night.

Tim Sheens with the 2005 premiership trophy. Picture: Darren England

“Benny Elias rang me and apparently Laurie gave me a rap. I owe Laurie one. It was a sliding doors moment.”

Asked whether he felt awkward knowing he was third or even fourth choice at Wests Tigers choice, Sheens said: “There are limited NRL jobs, mate. You don’t always have a choice. That is why most coaches take the job when there’s one on offer.

“I didn’t volunteer for it and I didn’t apply for it. I was asked to do it so I don’t see that as an issue.”

Noyce added: “The picture we painted to Craig in 2002 actually delivered us success in 2005. The dice rolled a different way but we got that premiership.”

Reminded Bellamy’s rejection gave him another coaching title, Sheens said: “I owe Craig for that.”

Originally published as Inside story of how Wests Tigers lost supercoach Craig Bellamy