Craig Bellamy to make decision on his future despite non-compete clause in $3m Storm deal

A decision on Craig Bellamy’s future is imminent but a previously unknown non-compete clause has created another twist as Brisbane keep up the chase.

JANUARY 22: Storm head coach Craig Bellamy is seen during a Melbourne Storm NRL training session at Geelong Grammar School on January 22, 2021 in Geelong, Australia. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

Craig Bellamy will decide his future next week with Melbourne ready to take the fight to Brisbane amid revelations the super coach has a non-compete clause in his $3 million Storm contract.

D-Day has arrived for Bellamy with the 62-year-old expected to advise Storm bosses within seven days whether he will quit the premiers at season’s end to accept a multimillion-dollar coaching director’s role at the Broncos.

The Bellamy camp held more talks with Storm hierarchy on Friday.

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Coach Craig Bellamy has a non-compete clause in his $3 million contract with the Melbourne Storm. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

Tensions between the glamour clubs have spilt over with Brisbane chairman Karl Morris insisting the Broncos will stand by their new CEO recruit Dave Donaghy despite Melbourne’s threats to personally sue him.

The Storm inserted a non-compete clause in Donaghy’s contract which prevents him working for any rival for six months – and Melbourne are ready to explore legal options to prevent the new Broncos boss starting in March.

But Donaghy is seemingly a pawn in a bigger political power-struggle that involves Bellamy.

The Courier-Mail can reveal Bellamy, like Donaghy, has a non-compete clause in his Storm contract, which Melbourne can attempt to legally enforce to prevent their premiership coach quitting suddenly to defect to the Broncos.

It is rare for a coach to have a non-compete clause in his contract, but Storm bosses fiercely guard their intellectual property, such as Bellamy’s title-winning systems, at the most successful NRL club of the past decade.

The Broncos’ poaching of Storm CEO Dave Donaghy has caused angst between the clubs.

The Storm’s hardball legal stance on Donaghy could be viewed as a shot across the bow at a Broncos club making a fourth attempt to poach their master mentor Bellamy.

Bellamy has spent recent days discussing his future with trusted advisers.

There are ostensibly two options for Bellamy. One, he relocates to Queensland for family reasons from 2022 onwards, but chooses to stay on with the Storm operating in a part-time consultancy role.

Two, Bellamy severs ties with the Storm completely, moving to the Sunshine State to embark on a new challenge in 2022 rebuilding the Broncos as a premiership force with Brisbane coach Kevin Walters.

A third option, accepting a 12-month offer to remain as head coach of the Storm in 2022, seems remote. Insiders say Bellamy wants to scale back from the pressures of NRL head-coaching after 19 years in the furnace.

Broncos chairman Karl Morris (left) is standing by new CEO Donaghy. Picture: Annette Dew

Bellamy has fielded interest from other NRL clubs but it is a race in two between the Storm and Broncos.

Despite the threat of Donaghy facing legal action from the Storm, Brisbane chair Morris is adamant the 38-year-old executive will be the Broncos’ CEO this season.

“Dave will start here at the appropriate time,” he said.

“I don’t want to poke Melbourne, but I’m a bit bemused by this.

“We know that Dave finished at Melbourne at the end of January and we look forward to him joining us.

“We won’t be looking for another CEO. Dave has signed a contract with the Broncos, but there is no starting date at this stage and he will start at the appropriate time.”