Storm coach Craig Bellamy suggests the club will need a replacement next year as he weighs up future

Craig Bellamy has to make a decision about his coaching future within weeks, but that decision may already be made.

Storm coach Craig Bellamy has given a hint about his future. Picture: Jason Edwards

Craig Bellamy declared he’ll “trust my gut” when he makes a decision about his future in coming weeks, but the Storm coach may have inadvertently given himself up on Friday.

Last week, Storm chairman Matt Tripp said a decision from the premiership coach on whether he would continue in 2024 was “imminent”, although he didn’t know which way Bellamy would go.

Bellamy, 63, is locked in at the club until 2027 with an option each year until then in his favour, allowing him to move out of the head coaching role and into another role at the club.

Ahead of Melbourne’s Magic Round showdown with South Sydney in Brisbane, Bellamy was on Friday quizzed about what decision he would make.

While joking he wouldn’t “get to 900” games, a milestone his former mentor Wayne Bennett reaches this weekend, Bellamy was cagey on his next move that he had wavered on making.

“I won’t be going for 900, I’m pretty sure about that. I’ll probably make a decision in the next week or two, hopefully we can get that done,” he said.

“It has taken a while, there’s been a few twists and turns. I’ll just trust my gut. I always encourage other people to do that when you’ve got to make a decision, a big decision or a little decision.”

Craig Bellamy with Storm star Cameron Munster. Picture: Jason Edwards

But when he was asked about the role he might play in anointing a successor, Bellamy suggested Storm could need someone in the role “next year”.

It could have been a slip of the tongue or a pointer of what’s to come.

“It’s not going to be my decision who coaches the Storm next,” Bellamy said.

“I’ll offer my opinion, if it’s asked, but that’s up to the club, not up to me to tell them this guy will be the next coach next year.

“I’m sure they will get it right.”

Bellamy, who has guided his team to fourth spot on the ladder with five wins from eight games, labelled the Rabbitohs, who are third, the “benchmark” of the competition ahead of their Saturday night clash.

“At the moment they are the benchmark,” he said.

“They are probably playing the best footy of all the teams at the moment.”