NRL 2023: Melbourne Storm’s last-ditch bid to keep coach Craig Bellamy

The Melbourne Storm have made a final plea to coach Craig Bellamy to continue at the helm of the NRL juggernaut. Read all the details

Storm head coach Craig Bellamy. Picture: Getty Images

Storm chairman Matt Tripp has appealed for Craig Bellamy to continue his purple reign after granting Melbourne’s super coach a one-month extension to make a decision on his future.

News Corp Australia can reveal Bellamy has been given until the end of April to make a formal call on whether he will extend his tenure as Melbourne’s head coach into 2024.

Under his contract terms – which will see Bellamy transition into a coaching director-style role upon retirement – he was required to inform Melbourne of his plans before March 31.

Bellamy, 63, has hinted this year – his 21st season in charge of the Storm – will be his last.

However he remains torn in his quest to deliver Melbourne a fourth NRL premiership under his watch before he walks away from the Storm’s top post.

The Storm have been crushed by injuries and suspensions this year, but an impressive 18-10 win against South Sydney on Friday night has breathed life into Melbourne’s season.

Bellamy said he was yet to make a definitive call on his future.

“Not yet – they’ve given me another month,” he said.

Craig Bellamy is yet to make a definitive call on his future. Picture: Getty Images

“There hasn’t been much happen that’s going to change my mind but we’ll see what happens.”

While Bellamy remains uncertain, there is no doubt Melbourne’s powerbrokers want him to continue at the helm.

Wayne Bennett is nearly 10 years older than Bellamy and has made a strong start with expansion club the Dolphins. Tim Sheens, 72, returned to coaching in the NRL this year with Wests Tigers.

The Storm have identified potential replacements for Bellamy, including club legend Billy Slater, but Tripp hopes the incumbent isn’t ready to hang up the clipboard.

“Craig has given every indication that this year will be his last year and this time I believe him compared to years gone by,” he said.

“He suggests this year is his last and I have to take him on face value.

“He still has the energy for it. He is the first there and last to leave, he is around the clock and he eats, sleeps and breathes it.

“It’s going to be hard for me to process if he says ‘I’m not going on’. It would be such a strange feeling for everyone at the club.

“I’m clinging on at the moment and living in hope that he decides to coach on for another year.”

Storm coach Craig Bellamy has hinted this year will be his last. Picture: Getty Images

While it has been a challenging start to the season for the Storm, there appears to be a bright future in Melbourne.

The club’s all-star spine – Cameron Munster, Jahrome Hughes, Ryan Papenhuyzen and Harry Grant – has played very little football together in the past year.

Munster, Hughes and Grant will be back together for Thursday night’s showdown with Brandon Smith’s Roosters in Melbourne and Papenhuyzen is progressing in his return from a serious knee injury.

If they can get their star quartet on the park, Melbourne will undoubtedly be back in the premiership hunt and Bellamy may sense one last title is within grasp before he hands over the reins.

If he does decide to move aside at season’s end, Tripp said the Storm had plenty of potential candidates to replace him.

“Last year it rolled into May when he let us know he would go on,” Tripp said.

Melbourne’s powerbrokers want Craig Bellamy to continue at the helm. Picture: Getty Images

“I don’t know if it will get to May this time, but Craig has earnt the right to choose when enough is enough and I will afford him as much time as he needs to make the best decision for his family.

“If Craig decides in the next few weeks he decides not to go on, we will put a succession plan in place.

“We would want someone that has been in our system before and we have some able assistants that would be part of the process to replace Craig.

“There are assistants at other clubs that we would look at it if they were interested, guys like Brett White (Titans) and Jason Ryles (Roosters) who know the DNA of the Storm.

“Michael Maguire is another guy that would come under consideration given his time here.

“It’s a massive decision to make because replacing Craig will be so difficult.”

SHARKS REVEAL HISTORIC HYNES CONTRACT

By Michael Carayannis and David Riccio

The Sharks have locked in $3 million worth of talent already and now they are prepared to make Nicho Hynes a $1 million player and the highest paid player in the club’s history.

Cronulla have tied down fullback Will Kennedy to a two-year extension. Kennedy’s signing now completes a quintet of deals done with Cronulla’s entire backline now locked in long-term. Ronaldo Mulitalo is also on a two-year contract while Sione Katoa, Sifa Talakai and Jesse Ramien will remain Sharks until at least the end of 2026.

The Sharks are expected to announce Kennedy‘s re-signing this week.

(L-R) Will Kennedy and Nicho Hynes. Picture: NRL Photos

Just two weeks ago he told News Corp of his plan to re-sign.

“I want to stay at the club, I love the Sharks,‘’ Kennedy said.

“I‘ve been here since SG Ball (under-19) so I would love to stay. What Fitzy (coach Craig Fitzgibbon) is doing and what he’s brought to the club is special.

“Hopefully we can nut something out pretty soon.‘’

Sam Stonestreet and Braydon Trindall have also re-signed, meaning Cronulla have 23 players already secured until at least the end of next year.

Cronulla’s attention will now shift to Hynes as they put the finishing touches on a mega five-year contract extension.

The deal will also make Hynes the club’s first million-dollar player. A feat not even recent club greats including Paul Gallen, Andrew Fifita, Wade Graham or Luke Lewis could achieve.

The Sharks are also keen to lockdown back-rower Teig Wilton – whose deal expires at the end of this season – on a multi-year deal.

For Hynes though – his new deal will once again see him almost double his salary. He joined the Sharks last season on a contract worth about $600,000 which was comfortably more than double what he earnt during his final season at the Storm.

Sharks wingers Ronaldo Mulitalo (left) and Sione Katoa at Shark Park. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Cronulla are desperate to secure Hynes before he is able to hit the open market on November 1 where his value could soar to more than $1.2 million a season off the back of his Dally M winning season last year.

The Eels re-signed halfback Mitchell Moses for that figure after he rejected a contract worth $1.5 million to join the Tigers.

Canberra ace Jack Wighton is also expected to hit the seven figure mark after deciding to test his market value.

Hynes confirmed the club had kickstarted contract talks and joked about wanting a “20-year-deal”.

“I just hope something happens and gets done, my manager will sort that out and the club will sort that out, so hopefully they’re talking as we speak because I’d love to stay … then hopefully I’m here forever,” he told SEN. “Ideally I’d love to be here for the rest of my career then I’d like to go straight into coaching. ”