Matty Johns’ insights into his 40-year association with Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy

Craig Bellamy is known for his epic sprays. If you played for him, chances are you’ve been on the end of a few. MATTY JOHNS reveals the one which says it all about Melbourne’s super coach.

My first memory of Craig Bellamy was at Lyall Peacock Oval, Toronto in 1981. Craig was playing for the Macquarie United Scorpions in the Newcastle local competition.

It was a competition which would’ve suited him perfectly — it was brutal and most players were miners, steel workers, labourers.

Some got paid some pretty decent money for that time, some played because they simply enjoyed inflicting pain and receiving a little bit as well.

To survive you needed to know how to dish out punishment and receive it.

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Matthew Johns working with Craig Bellamy in 2006.

This day in ’81, Craig’s Macquarie United were up against my father Gary’s powerful Cessnock Goannas. Dad and the club’s benefactor, winemaker Murray Tyrrell, would scout as far as Townsville for the biggest, meanest hombres wearing football boots. As the sand technician I’d see them physically dismantle teams week after week. But on this day it was the young, mid-table Scorpions who were doing all the dismantling.

For whatever reason, as a kid there are just things that stick with you, mine are predominantly football related. I watched Craig Bellamy closely that day because, the night before, Dad was keen to sign him to Cessnock.

Craig gave away a lot in size and experience, but led the way as they wore the Goannas down to victory with sheer determination.

Being the sort of rough-and-tumble competition it was, there was plenty of heat in the contest, and Bellamy appeared more than comfortable in amongst it.

Craig Bellamy puts up a bomb for the Raiders.

Bellamy in the Raiders’ sheds.

After the match, Dad made inquiries about bringing Bellamy to Cessnock. However, he was heading to the big league’s newest team, the Canberra Raiders.

And so it begins … …

In my interview with Craig this week, ahead of his 500th game, he spoke about how those early years at the Raiders helped shape him.

Those early seasons for the men who wore green were very tough, a lot more floggings than hard-fought victories.

It taught Craig to never take winning for granted.

It says a lot about Craig’s drive and determination that he endured those brutal years and was able to enjoy the success of Tim Sheens’ iconic ‘Green Machine’ era.

THE INFLUENCES

Bellamy is aware of his good fortune. The two men who served as his greatest influences are Tim Sheens and Wayne Bennett. Two of the game’s super coaches, and, crucially, two coaches with contrasting styles and philosophies.

Sheens, the tactician, the innovator, the rugby league train spotter.

Bennett, the relationship coach. The genius at understanding his players, how to motivate them, how to teach them to be winners.

When you see how Craig coaches up close, it’s clear he’s taken plenty from both.

Sheens gave him his first NRL coaching job, taking charge of the Raiders’ under-21 team in 1995. I asked Sheens recently if he knew then that Craig was going to be a great coach?

“No,” was his reply.

Bellamy left the Raiders and linked up with Bennett at the Broncos for the 1998 season. In a role which involved, on one hand, being the team’s strength and conditioner, on the other serving as one of Wayne’s assistant coaches.

I asked Craig what he learnt about coaching great players from working with that title-winning Broncos squad.

Wayne Bennett and Craig Bellamy working together with the Kangaroos in 2004. Picture: Liam Driver

He said one morning, only two weeks into his new role, he was warming up the team ahead of a fitness session they were about to endure.

As he was running the players through a series of stretches, he looked over and saw Alfie Langer casually leaning on the picket fence, not stretching, in fact chatting to an older gent who happened to be walking past.

Craig let it go for a while, until he finally couldn’t. He was making a beeline for Alf when suddenly Wayne grabbed his arm, ‘”Where do you think you’re going?”

“I’m going to get Alf …”

“You just leave him alone, that’s what Alf does….”

Craig can be a hard taskmaster, but he allows his players to be who they are.

He allows his players to develop and grow into men.

This might surprise, but that type of coach is not common.

Some coaches, consciously or unconsciously, won’t allow players to grow and become strong leaders.

Men win grand finals.

It’s no secret strong discipline is one of the pillars of Craig’s success.

Walk into the Melbourne Storm training facility at 6am any day next week and I guarantee you’ll see Craig in a lather of sweat on the rower or treadmill. He sets the example to his players and he demands his assistant coaches do the same.

IDENTIFYING TALENT

Who he brings in as his assistants is crucial.

He’s been able to identify a head coach in waiting.

What he looks for in a coach is no different from what he looks for in a player.

Intelligence, discipline and a willingness to work hard.

Craig and his right-hand man Frank Ponissi once spent a whole morning as guests of the great NFL coach, Bill Parcells at Bill’s Florida home.

Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy with former American football coach Bill Parcells.

Frank said it was one of the greatest experiences of his professional life, to sit and listen to Craig and Parcells exchange ideas and philosophies.

Parcells gave Craig a piece of advice on appointing his assistants. “Don’t appoint coaches you want, appoint coaches you need.”

When young players walk through the doors at Melbourne, they are immediately made aware of the standards expected.

This is possibly the biggest factor in the Storm’s era of dominance.

LEGENDARY SPRAYS

I recently asked my young bloke, Cooper, who’s in his fourth year at the Storm, if he’d ever been on the end of Craig’s legendary sprays.

He said two came to mind. (The term, ‘come to mind’ suggests, it happens often.)

Both were in his first off-season at the club.

The first was during a 10-day camp at Geelong College. There was a meeting planned for 8am and Cooper turned up at the wrong location, and by the time he’d found the group he was five minutes late.

Craig said nothing, but through the whole meeting, while one of Craig’s assistants ran through video, Bellamy just stared at Cooper intently, barely taking his eyes off him.

They went out onto the training field for a fitness session and were worked to exhaustion in the searing heat.

Cooper Johns was on the receiving end of some classic Craig Bellamy feedback. Picture: AAP

The following day was supposed to be one of complete rest, however at 5am every player was dragged out of bed, onto the training park and subjected to an hour of physical torture.

Heading into the final effort the players were told the hour of pain was the punishment for Cooper Johns being late.

One stuffs up, you all suffer.

Way to make friends.

The other was a few weeks later. In Cooper’s words he was having a terrific training session, some nice passes, setting up a few tries. The usual stuff from a bloke with low standards.

Afterwards the team were called to the video room where Craig had prepared some vision.

“OK boys, I’ve got a clip on Cooper Johns I want everyone to see.”

Cooper’s chest puffed, in his mind he’s about to receive some long overdue praise.

However, there were no nice passes, clever kicks or try assists.

At the back end of the session one of the players had thrown a dummy and Coop had ever so slightly drifted outward and presented a half gap.

Only a coach with the keenest eye would spot it, and with the highest standards, care about it.

In Cooper’s words, “He unloaded on me for what felt like 20 minutes. He questioned my intelligence, my desire, my parentage …. I was sitting there completely rattled, when one of the boys put his hand on my shoulder and whispered … ‘welcome to the club’.”

Originally published as Matty Johns’ insights into his 40-year association with Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy