‘Can’t wait for him to leave’: Cameron Munster hilariously bakes ‘negative’ Bellamy

There are few things more certain at any Melbourne Storm match than a Craig Bellamy blow up, even in a much-needed win.

Even a win couldn’t put a skip in Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy’s step after his side claimed a 24-12 win over the Wests Tigers on Friday evening.

Storm led from beginning to end, opening a 22-6 lead at halftime and the toothless Tigers never seemed a threat.

Watch every game of every round of the 2023 NRL Telstra Premiership Season LIVE on Kayo Sports. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >

But you don’t coach a team which has had the wild success the Storm have had during Bellamy’s tenure by being good enough.

While the return of Cameron Munster from a horrifically broken finger in round one helped the Storm bounce back to the winner’s circle, the Storm were still far from the side which has dominated the NRL over the past two decades.

Bellamy was fuming in the box, but while it’s not uncommon for the Storm coach to blow up, even when his side is performing well, it was just last week Bellamy admitted he was out of answers about how to turn the Storm around.

While it was a much improved performance from the Storm after back-to-back losses, Bellamy appeared at his frustrated best in the box once again.

Craig Bellamy might not be too happy right now...kinda hard to tell though.

📺WATCH #NRLStormTigers on Ch. 502 or stream via @kayosportshttps://t.co/KU6O1WswuO
✍️BLOG https://t.co/zgHb19mZzj
🔢 MATCH CENTRE https://t.co/oL04zsRCaUpic.twitter.com/M7DZmT1Swd

— Fox League (@FOXNRL) March 24, 2023

After the match, a firmly tongue-in-cheek Munster said: “On Bellyache, he’s never happy regardless of the scoreline. He’s always negative so I can’t wait for him to leave.”

Cameron Munster was in fine form. Photo: Fox Sports

Bellamy revealed earlier in the year that this would likely be his final year as the Storm coach.

Speaking in the press conference, Bellamy admitted the side hadn't yet hit its straps for the season but had shown a lot more commitment in round four.

“Some of the things we haven’t been doing that well the last couple of weeks, I thought we done them really well,” Bellamy said.

“Made it really hard on ourselves a couple of times, made an error and then gave a penalty away the next set, which put us under pressure.

“I thought our effort this week was a whole heap better than it was the last couple of weeks. We’ve still got a few guys who are a bit under done, but I just thought our effort was a whole heap better.

“I think it was a much improved effort in the last few weeks, we’ve still got some things to work on but I think they took a bit of pride tonight, that was the pleasing thing.”

Bellamy said the second half attack was “disjointed”, but that it was “a little more disjointed than we’d hoped.”

The Storm have been in the middle of one of the worst injury crises of Bellamy’s tenure at the club.

But it wasn’t all bad for the Storm, who have appeared to uncover another halves gem in Jonah Pezet, who played a key role in the 12-point win.

It was a more disciplined Storm than recent weeks, completing 35 of their 40 sets, as they squared the season ledger at 2-2, snapping a two-game losing streak.

It was a much needed win for the Storm. Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

Munster was at his scintillating best, scoring a try on his return from a compound finger dislocation.

The Storm’s big three is not intact after Hughes was suspended, but it mattered little as young wunderkind Pezet formed an irresistible halves partnership with Munster.

At the other end of the field, the Tigers offence is still just not clicking early.

The visitors were finding good field position, penetrating the redzone, but frustratingly could not come up with points.

Try as he might, half back Luke Brooks could not connect on the final pass in the first half, as the Tigers butchered multiple chances close to the try line.

The Storm were almost caught snoozing at the start of the second half though.

Tigers hooker Api Koroisau put in a grubber kick that should have been dealt with by Storm fullback Meaney, but he inexplicably misjudged the depth of the kick and Koroisau pounced to score the try and give his side some hope at 22-12 down.

Having fought back to almost run down the Bulldogs last week, it gave the Tigers real hope of hunting down the Storm, but it wasn’t to be for the visitors.

The Tigers remain the only winless team in the competition after four rounds.

With Lance Jenkinson, NCA Newswire

Originally published as ‘Can’t wait for him to leave’: Cameron Munster hilariously bakes ‘negative’ Bellamy