NRL 2021: Craig Bellamy has influenced 25 head and assistant coaches throughout the NRL

An incredible 25 current head or assistant coaches have been somehow influenced by Craig Bellamy. One of them is Brad Arthur, who confronts his old boss on Thursday night.

The 12-year-old kid was on his way for a swim at the Queanbeyan community pool when his famous footballing father unexpectedly pulled over the family’s blue Ford XC at a local park.

Don Furner snr – a former Kangaroos coach - said to son David: “If you want to succeed then have the discipline of that bloke.”

And with that, young David – who later became a Raiders and Australian champion - looked across the other side of Queanbeyan’s Town Park and saw a Canberra player he recognised training ferociously, despite it being spring, well before pre-season was due to start back in the early ‘80s.

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Craig Bellamy has had a part to play in the development of many of today’s NRL coaches.

That person was Craig Bellamy.

“I always remember it. I was a young kid growing up back in Queanbeyan when Craig was playing with the Raiders. It was the early 1980s, I was maybe 12 or 13,” said David, the former Raiders coach and now assistant at Canterbury.

“I was with my Dad and we drove past the Town Park. I think he was taking me to the local pool. We suddenly stopped on the side of the road and he pointed to this bloke doing training – and he was training hard.

“It was ‘Bellyache’. He was doing pre-season before the pre-season had even started. He was doing fitness stuff on his own.

“My dad actually pointed out ‘Bellyache’ and said: “That’s the difference between whether you want to make it or not. He has the right attitude.

“I haven’t forgotten that moment. It’s the reason why Melbourne has always been noted for being so fit and disciplined. And it’s been the way for decades.”

Bellamy in his Raiders playing days.

Bellamy played 148 games for Canberra.

Furner is one of 25 current head or assistant coaches that have been somehow influenced by Bellamy.

Another is Brad Arthur, the Parramatta coach who will confront Bellamy’s Melbourne Storm on Thursday night in an early-season Bankwest Stadium blockbuster.

Arthur held three roles under Bellamy at Melbourne between 2007 and 2010 – development coach, under 20s coach and NRL assistant coach.

“Brad was our first-ever development coach, so he was looking after the blokes who weren‘t playing NRL but in our squad,” Bellamy said. ”He did a great job here.

“He was certainly hungry and he had a good confidence about himself, but he was also willing to put the hard work in. That’s what I look for, not only in my players but my coaches as well.

“He‘s obviously made a good career for himself and he’s at a good club, so he’s doing a good job for sure.”

Bellamy and Cameron Smith were quite the force in Melbourne and the NRL.

While Arthur has since established himself as career coach, he has struggled against his mentor, winning only won three of 11 games against Bellamy’s Storm.

Asked about playing Bellamy’s Storm, Arthur said: “They have a great system and obviously well coached. No, anyone that is going to take Melbourne lightly, or doesn’t expect them to be at their best every week, they’re watching a different game to me.

“I am thankful for the opportunity I received at Melbourne and certainly have respect for how the club has developed.”

As an assistant coach, head coach and representative coach, Bellamy has helped, employed and guided eight current NRL coaches – Arthur, Ricky Stuart, Nathan Brown, Todd Payten, Michael Maguire, Adam O’Brien, Kevin Walters and Trent Barrett.

Bellamy has influenced coaches at 10 clubs – Parramatta, Wests Tigers, Newcastle, Brisbane, New Zealand, Roosters, Raiders, Bulldogs, Cowboys and Panthers.

Stuart and Bellamy remain tight mates.

Brad Arthur spent four seasons at the Storm.

“Our friendship goes back to days when we were playing together. Craig and I hit it off very early and have been close mates ever since,” Stuart said. “We share the same interests.”

Furner even recalled Bellamy’s tenacity when an assistant coach under Mal Meninga at the Raiders back in 1997.

“He took a couple of sessions at Canberra when he was coaching with Mal and they were tough sessions,” Furner said. “I remember that.

“Craig has always believed in the principles he has stood by and a football team are also a reflection of the coach. Back then he used to spend hours cutting video.

“His knowledge comes from his experiences as a player, but his work ethic is also there. Not only as a player but you need that work ethic to be a successful coach.”

Former Sharks coach Shane Flanagan was an assistant to head coach Bellamy on the NSW State of Origin coaching staff between 2008 and 2010.

Adam O'Brien learnt the ropes under Bellamy.

Bellamy had an impact on Kevin Walters.

Flanagan later employed some of Bellamy’s philosophies and principles when helping Cronulla win the 2016 premiership.

Last year, O’Brien – an ex-Storm assistant coach - was asked what he learnt from Bellamy.

“Number one is work ethic. You need to work hard and you need to be consistent,” O’Brien told NRL.com. ”They’re the big things for me.

“If you’ve got a group of blokes who have a thirst for success and want to work hard, make each day count and be consistent with their prep, you’re going to have a fairly good footy side, a good culture and a good club.”

Originally published as NRL 2021: Craig Bellamy has influenced 25 head and assistant coaches throughout the NRL