Matty Johns: The running race that ignited a decades-long Wayne Bennett-Craig Bellamy rivalry

Craig Bellamy holds a commanding record against Wayne Bennett, but that hasn’t stopped the former mentor from getting under his skin in a cat-and-mouse game they’ve been playing since the 1980s.

Wayne Bennett and Craig Bellamy.

In sport, some individuals’ careers seem to be intertwined. In rugby league, there’s no greater example than Wayne Bennett and Craig Bellamy.

These two blokes have been playing cat and mouse since the 1980s.

Bellamy was a foundation player of the Canberra Raiders, a club who, in 1987, were sick of underachieving and signed Bennett to co-coach alongside Don Furner.

The first thing Bennett did was implement a new fitness regimen, including a 10km torture run which the players would endure once a week.

Bennett would not only join the players on the run — he would win. Every week. Easily.

Bellamy missed most of the 1987 pre-season with a calf injury, and it wasn’t until a month in that he had his first crack at the Bennett-designed lung buster.

Wayne Bennett loved running against his players. Picture: Glenn Barnes

On this day, Bennett was once again enjoying a considerable lead when, suddenly, he heard a foreign sound — footsteps coming up behind him, fast.

Bennett glanced over his shoulder and saw Bellamy about to roar past. Bennett hit the accelerator but, from then on, he only ever saw the back of Bellamy‘s head.

This was the beginning of their long relationship, and symbolic of their fierce rivalry.

Bellamy has learnt an enormous amount from Bennett, not just from his playing days but serving under him in a trainer/assistant coach role.

Bellamy tells the story of his first day training the Broncos.

The session started with Bellamy running the players through a series of stretches. However, skipper Allan Langer didn’t seem interested in warming up his hamstrings, instead leaning against the training ground fence, enjoying a conversation with an elderly bloke out walking his dog.

Bellamy was noticeably irritated, and after a few minutes, decided to stroll over to Alf and give him a little attitude adjustment.

As he walked over to Langer, Bennett grabbed Bellamy’s arm.

“Where do you think you’re going?” he asked.

Bellamy explained: “I’m grabbing Alf, he’s been chatting to that old bloke for the last 10 minutes.”

Bennett wouldn’t let Craig Bellamy interfere with Allan Langer’s training. Picture: AAP Image/Dave Hunt

Bennett glared at Bellamy

“You f … ing leave him alone, that’s what he does,” Bennett said.

The lesson: Don’t treat all your players the same.

Before joining the Broncos, Bellamy had come out of the Tim Sheens coaching system, where opposition teams are scrutinised and analysed thoroughly.

Bennett wasn’t so much into video analysis so Bellamy one day volunteered to put together a tip sheet on their upcoming opponents.

He started explaining the opposition strengths, when he noticed Bennett barely even listening before stopping his assistant mid-sentence.

“I don’t care about them. We play well, we win,” Bennett said.

Bennett might be thinking he mentored Bellamy a little too well.

In the past 20 years, out of 35 clashed between the pair, Bellamy has won 29.

Bellamy has had some incredible teams, but I’ve witnessed first-hand how thoroughly he prepares his team when taking on his old mentor.

And Bennett knows Bellamy’s sweet spot.

He’s needled him successfully over the years, even in defeat.

After one match, where the Storm had put the cleaners through Bennett’s Broncos, I saw Bellamy in the car park cursing vigorously, as he can do.

I tried to play Dr Phil.

Even in defeat, Bennett can get under Bellamy’s skin. Picture: AAP Image/Dan Peled

“Hey Craig, what’s the problem? Relax mate, you won,” I told him.

Bellamy turn to me and spoke through gritted teeth.

“Wayne never gives us credit,” Bellamy said.

“The f … er just did his whole press conference on how the game needs to rid itself of wrestling”.

Bennett is very good at needling opposition coaches, very often so subtle that only that coach knows what Bennett is getting at.

A few years back, I spoke to a coach who was preparing to take on Bennett’s Broncos. The coach was beside himself, all week Bennett had been giving small quotes to journalists designed to irritate his coaching rival.

It worked. The coach was rattled. Worse, he was distracted.

Bennett’s Broncos belted them that weekend

But Bennett is up against it on Friday night, playing Bellamy‘s boys in Melbourne, with the Storm coming off a very poor performance.

Adding to that, Souths have never beaten the Storm in Melbourne.

Upsets are driven by defence, and if the Bunnies are to challenge the Storm, it will come out of a high-energy defensive performance.

However, historically Bennett teams play a slide defence, which gives an attack time to play.

If Souths give the Storm playmakers time, they’ll be torn to shreds.

Originally published as Matty Johns: The running race that ignited a decades-long Wayne Bennett-Craig Bellamy rivalry