Craig Bellamy says NRL has ‘no problem’ with our playing style

Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy has launched a defence of his side’s brand of football, saying the criticism of their controversial tactics is completely unfair.

Craig Bellamy has defended Melbourne’s controversial tactics. Picture: Daniel Pockett

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Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy says hard work rather than dirty tactics have taken his side to the top of the ladder again this season, hitting back at criticism levelled against the club over dangerous tackles and slow play.

The Storm can lock away the minor premiership with a win over Canberra Raiders on Saturday but have been forced to fend off “mistruths” this week after a “furious” South Sydney football boss Shane Richardson launched a stinging attack following the Rabbitohs’ loss to Storm last weekend.

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Craig Bellamy has defended Melbourne’s controversial tactics. Picture: Daniel Pockett

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Richardson accused Storm of not playing “in the spirit of the game” and inventing the crusher tackle, chicken win and rolling pin, as well as slowing play by lying on and wrestling in tackles.

However, Bellamy said he had spoken to the NRL this week and had been told the league had “no problems” with how his side is playing, labelling the criticism unfair.

“The thing that irks me and disappoints me a bit is that it’s like all we do at training is plan to take shortcuts or plan to exploit rules when this group is probably the hardest working group I’ve ever worked with here at the Storm. I’ve been here 18 years,” Bellamy said.

Bellamy said the NRL cleared his side’s tactics. Picture: Kelly Defina

“The reason we are where we are is because of the work ethic of our players as a group and our players as individuals.

“The younger players especially but the whole squad don’t get enough recognition for how hard they work.”

Bellamy said rather than focus on how they can bend the rules, his players had worked on their weakness such as their attack which was spluttering early in the season.

Storm now lead the competition in points scored.

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“We thought we were a little bit short in a couple of areas in that last year and early this year we were clunky there at stages but that’s an area that they’ve worked really hard on,” Bellamy said.

While the focus for Storm is simply on getting a win against the third-placed Raiders, Bellamy said the minor premiership would be a “big accolade” if his side was able to win it.

“There was a bit of doom and gloom about our squad at the start of this year from outside sources and losing a guy like Billy Slater and a couple of Origin players in Ryan Hoffman and Tim Glasby, that hit us a bit too in the experienced area,” Bellamy said.

“But all the guys that have come in have done a tremendous job.”

Originally published as Craig Bellamy says NRL has ‘no problem’ with our playing style