NRL 2021: Melbourne Storm yet to release chief executive Dave Donaghy to join Brisbane Broncos

Brisbane’s plans for the future could be set to face a major hurdle as the Storm plays hardball over several key Red Hill poaching attempts.

Melbourne Storm CEO Dave Donaghy and Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy speak to the media during an NRL press conference at AAMI Park in Melbourne, Tuesday, March 24, 2020. The NRL has suspended the 2020 premiership as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. (AAP Image/Scott Barbour) NO ARCHIVING

The Broncos and Storm are at war over the poaching of chief executive Dave Donaghy as Brisbane’s hopes of snaring super coach Craig Bellamy dwindle.

Donaghy is still locked in negotiations with the Storm, who are playing hardball over his move to the Broncos to replace Paul White as CEO.

Donaghy has resigned from the Storm and his contract expires at the end of January, however it includes a non-compete clause which could prevent him from starting at the Broncos for a number of months.

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Will Craig Bellamy eventually join Dave Donaghy at the Broncos?

Donaghy and the Storm were expected to reach an agreement which will allow him to take the reins at Red Hill earlier.

However a deal is yet to be struck, with White to depart the Broncos at the end of this month after extending his contract to facilitate Donaghy’s arrival.

White’s 10-year tenure at the Broncos was originally slated to end in October last year, but the Donaghy delay prompted Brisbane powerbrokers to request he remain at the club until the recruitment process was completed. That was expected to be for a further three months.

That extension is now nearing its end and the Broncos are hoping Donaghy can transition into the role as quickly as possible.

But the Storm are not rolling over.

Chairman Matt Tripp declared in October that he would be enforcing the terms of Donaghy’s contract and an agreement is yet to be reached.

Donaghy’s arrival date at the Broncos is still very much up in the air.

Tripp could not be contacted for comment this week.

While the negotiation is between Donaghy and Melbourne, Brisbane’s pursuit of key Storm figures has ignited tensions between the NRL heavyweights.

The Broncos showed interest in signing NRL legend Cameron Smith, who is yet to announce his future plans, from Melbourne for 2021.

But it was Brisbane’s pursuit of Bellamy which the Storm views as their greatest threat.

Bellamy will finish an ultra-successful 19-year stint as Melbourne’s head coach this year and the Broncos have offered him a coaching director role at Red Hill from 2022.

At the time of Kevin Walters’ appointment as Brisbane’s new head coach in September, the Broncos were quietly confident of snaring Bellamy.

Bellamy was seen as a possibility of joining Kevin Walters at the Broncos for 2022.

Walters and Bellamy were pitched to the Broncos as somewhat of a package deal, with Brisbane bosses believing they were in the box seat to snare the NRL’s most successful coach of the past 20 years.

Bellamy denied reports he had committed to Brisbane and nearly four months later the Broncos are still in the dark as to whether they will land him.

The Storm have insisted they will do everything they can to keep Bellamy involved with Melbourne after this year and are ready to tailor a role that will allow him to live in Queensland.

News of Bellamy last week meeting with Broncos rising star Xavier Coates, who comes off-contract at the end of this year, about a potential move to Melbourne also left Brisbane figures nervous.

While Donaghy will take control at Red Hill at some point, the Broncos are not certain Bellamy will be following him to help.