Storm’s plan to lock down Cameron Smith, Craig Bellamy amid Brisbane interest
In a rare interview, one of Australia’s richest men has detailed his multimillion-dollar masterplan to prevent Melbourne power duo Cameron Smith and Craig Bellamy quitting the most successful NRL club of the past decade.
NRL
Don't miss out on the headlines from NRL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Storm chairman Matt Tripp has revealed he will offer Cameron Smith a lifetime job to stave-off a Broncos poaching raid and plans to table a new deal for Craig Bellamy in a bid to stop mighty Melbourne falling apart.
In a rare interview, Tripp, one of Australia’s richest men, has detailed his multimillion-dollar masterplan to prevent his power duo, captain Smith and coach Bellamy, quitting the most successful NRL club of the past decade.
Former Queensland Origin skipper Smith is off-contract and tipped to finalise his future in the next fortnight, while Bellamy has hinted at retirement when his Storm deal expires after 19 years in charge next year.
Both have been linked to moves to Queensland, with Broncos coach Anthony Seibold saying on Wednesday he would consider signing Smith for a career swansong at Red Hill in 2021.
Prospective NRL franchise the Brisbane Bombers want Bellamy as a coaching director pending admission in 2022 or 2023 and held talks with the Storm super coach last Christmas.
But ahead of Sunday’s clash against Newcastle at Sunshine Coast Stadium, Tripp conceded the loss of Smith and Bellamy in consecutive seasons would be “catastrophic” and has a battleplan to keep them in Melbourne.
“My mission as chairman is to keep these guys (Smith and Bellamy) at the club for as long as we can,” Tripp said.
“It presents a real problem for us if Craig and Cameron decide to finish together.
“The Broncos would be mad not to show interest in Cameron, but if they want to try and pinch our players, I’ll get the gloves on and be up for the fight.
“Cameron has got a job here forever at the Storm if he wants it.
“Whether Cam decides to play for the Storm next year or retire, I want him as a Melbourne Storm participant, whether that’s as a player or as an administrator or in a coaching capacity.
“There’s a lot to work through in terms of what role Cam would play if he decides against playing, but I will move heaven and earth to make sure he is comfortable with any role he wants and that he isn’t lost to the Storm.”
Bellamy’s record at the Storm is remarkable. Since taking charge in 2003, former Broncos assistant Bellamy has steered Melbourne to four premierships, seven minor premierships, eight grand finals and 16 finals series in 17 seasons.
Under his charge, the Storm have missed the finals just once — in 2010 when they were docked all competition points for their salary-cap rort. Despite nothing to play for, Bellamy kept professionalism so high the Storm won 14 games and would have finished fifth.
Bellamy will be 62 when his current deal expires in October 2021. He has talked about retirement since 2015, but in June 2018, he inked a three-year extension which many, including Bellamy himself, viewed as his final contract.
But his former mentor at the Broncos, Wayne Bennett, is still coaching at Souths at age 70 and Tripp is ready to table a fresh 12-month extension for Bellamy to soldier on in 2022.
“I want Craig to keep coaching,” he said.
“Craig is the second part of the puzzle.
“Part one is Cameron, I will tick his box first and ensure I can do all I can to keep him at the club, and then I will move on to Craig and work on him to continue coaching.
“I would love to extend Craig if he was willing to do so.
“He is hinting with some of his media comments that next year will be his final year before retirement but never say never.
“Honestly, the fire is still burning in Craig, his passion is as strong as it’s ever been and you are a long time retired.
“I have a few things in my mind that might just sway Craig to stay.”
Asked if that entails moving Bellamy into a coaching director’s role to ease the day-to-day strain, Tripp said: “Yes, potentially, Craig could move into a role like that, but it’s up to him.
“We will probably need a decision from him in this calendar year because it will take a year to prepare for life without him and the biggest problem we might face is if Cameron and Craig retire at the same time.
“That would be catastrophic.
“Over the last 50 years of the game, I’m not sure there has ever been a better combination of captain and coach and to have Cam and Craig serve for almost 20 years and have them potentially finish at the same time, it is a huge void we would need to fill.
“I think Craig will think long and hard and I hope he comes up with the right answer in terms of going on for another year or two. He is very fit and energetic for a 60-year-old, he looks after himself, so there is nothing stopping him physically or mentally.”
The Smith conundrum is equally complex. The 422-game legend turns 38 next June and if he plays on, the Storm must not only juggle salary-cap pressures, but the career aspirations of the skipper’s hooking understudies Harry Grant and Brandon Smith.
Tripp insists there is no pressure on Smith to retire with the Storm supremo planning to offer him lifetime employment which could involve a role as a Melbourne board member.
“Ideally Cam plays on next year. We’d love that,” Tripp said.
“We have two versions of the salary cap for 2021 — one with Cameron and one without Cameron.
“But either way, there is no issue, we can fit all three — Cameron, Harry Grant and Brandon Smith — into our cap next year.
“I honestly don’t know if Cam will retire. I expect a decision soon but he has earnt the right to make the decision on his terms.
“I really think Cameron could add enormous value on the board. With sporting-club boards, there can be a disconnect between what is right in terms of running a club as a business and what’s right in running it as a footy club and Cam could bridge that gap because he has such great knowledge.
“In saying that, Cameron might prefer to work in our football department playing a mentoring role for our young players right through to coaching in some capacity.
“You can’t just assume life will go on without him. It’s wishful thinking.
“We’ll preparing accordingly, so if Cam decides not to go on, we’ll do everything within our powers to remain a successful footy club.”