NRL 2023: Craig Bellamy and the Storm have a frosty welcome ready for Brandon Smith
Roosters turncoat Brandon Smith says former coach Craig Bellamy still loves him. But his old coach has declared it’s ‘game on’ as Storm prepares a frosty welcome for their former star.
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Storm coach Craig Bellamy has declared it’s “game on” against Roosters turncoat Brandon Smith as Melbourne prepares a frosty welcome for their former star.
Smith will face the Storm at AAMI Park on Thursday night for the first time since quitting Melbourne to sign with the Roosters.
The New Zealand Test hooker’s departure from Melbourne was far from smooth, with an infamous podcast infuriating the Storm before Smith was banished from team training during an NRL suspension.
In the controversial interview, Smith claimed the Storm had a drinking culture and expressed his new-found love for the Roosters a year before he was due to depart Melbourne.
The Storm said they were “deeply offended” by Smith’s comments, prompting a brutal meeting with Melbourne officials upon his return to the club for pre-season training.
Later in the year, Smith received a three-match suspension for calling referee Adam Gee a “cheating bastard” during a round 18 loss to Cronulla.
The Storm kept Smith away from the team during his ban, instead making him train with a fitness coach as he fought to win back the respect of his club.
Smith ended up departing Melbourne on good terms after 107 NRL games and Bellamy said he had forgiven the outspoken “Cheese” for his behaviour.
But the Storm will not be doing Smith and his Roosters any favours in Thursday night’s blockbuster.
“That (coaching against Smith) will be a bit different,” Bellamy said.
“He sometimes says some things that he doesn’t think enough about. That’s what you get sometimes.
“It’s all good now. There’s no worries, there was no hard feelings there.
“He came to our first game at Parramatta and was in the dressing room after the game. The boys enjoyed seeing him.
“For the 80 minutes it’s game on, and after that we are all friends again.”
Smith, 26, has made a strong start to life as a Rooster.
He has secured the No. 9 jersey that was being blocked by Harry Grant at the Storm and is forming strong combinations with Roosters halves Sam Walker and Luke Keary.
The Roosters are sitting in the top four after five rounds while Melbourne bounced back from a tough opening month to beat Souths in Sydney last Friday.
Smith smoked the peace pipe with Bellamy at the end of last season and said he had huge respect for Melbourne’s 20-year coach.
“I still have great relationships with everyone at that club. It is going to be a funny one but I am looking forward to getting stuck into those boys,” Smith said.
“I think going to AAMI Park will be a big difference. Obviously I have a lot of memories there, played a lot of games there.
“I just hope the fans aren’t too hostile with me. Those Melbourne fans are pretty unforgiving.
“Everything is still good with us (Bellamy).
“He is a good coach. Even when everything went down with me going to the Roosters, he got me in the office and said I never hold a grudge on anyone.
“We have a great relationship. I have definitely pushed him to the brink a few times. He still loves me, I think.”
Just maybe not for 80 minutes on Thursday night.
Cheese promises to reveal Storm secrets
The Cheese is ready to roll into Melbourne. Back to AAMI Park. Back to the ground where he made his name. Back to face the club that helped turn his life around.
Brandon Smith won’t be holding back either. If it means spilling the beans on his former teammates to help out his new ones at the Sydney Roosters, he is happy to do so.
“I don’t play for Melbourne any more – I will tell all the secrets,” Smith said with a laugh.
Smith has maintained contact with the Storm and his ex-teammates since his departure. He went to dinner with Melbourne before they played Parramatta in the opening round.
He was in the dressing sheds after the game as they celebrated a hard-fought win over the Eels. Earlier this week, he and Storm hooker Harry Grant traded secrets on Parramatta and South Sydney respectively.
“Harry rang me and gave me the inside word on the Parra boys and I in turn tried to do the same with the Souths guys,” Smith said.
“Me and Harry were best mates when we were at the club. It is not a regular thing but if we can help each other, then for sure we are going to do it.
“I still keep in contact with a lot of them – (Cameron) Munster, Jahrome (Hughes), Christian Welch especially. It is going to be good and I am just looking to getting stuck into them.
“I still have great relationships with everyone at that club. It is going to be a funny one. I think going to AAMI Park will be a big difference.
“Obviously I have a lot of memories there, played a lot of games there. I just hope the fans aren’t too hostile with me.
“Those Melbourne fans are pretty unforgiving.”
Smith played against the Storm in the pre-season but it was in Geelong in a trial game. This time it is at AAMI Park for competition points. He can’t remember ever being in the away sheds but he’s about to find out.
It’s the real thing and the Roosters arrive on the back of three consecutive wins. With every week and game, Smith’s combination with his halves – Luke Keary and Sam Walker – grows stronger.
He becomes more comfortable in Sydney and the vibrant eastern suburbs, where his profile continues to grow thanks to his work on and off the field.
He has become a fixture on the podcast hosted by former England International James Graham. He is a regular voice on Triple M, be it commentating games or providing his expert – and sometimes quirky – opinions.
The media commitments give him the chance to take his mind off rugby league, although for the next seven days it will be hard to escape the impending trip to Melbourne and the chance to lock horns with the coach who turned around his fortunes.
Smith arrived in Melbourne with his career at the crossroads and departed a fully-fledged international. For that, he can largely thank Storm coach Craig Bellamy.
Smith retains immense respect for Bellamy, the iconic mentor who vowed that he would always be there for Smith even when he told him he was leaving.
“Everything is still good with us,” Smith said.
“He is a good coach. Even when everything went down with me going to the Roosters, he got me in the office and said, ‘I never hold a grudge on anyone’.
“We have a great relationship. I have definitely pushed him to the brink a few times. He still loves me, I think.”
Not this week, we’re tipping.
* * * * *
Cameron Smith is knee-deep in the latest LIV event in Orlando but out of the corner of his eye, he is looking towards the Masters at Augusta National next week.
Smith is also keeping an eye on his beloved Brisbane Broncos. Smith is a rabid Broncos fan. When he was back in Brisbane during the off-season, he spent time with the club training in the gym.
He has watched all their games this season and been impressed with what he has seen. No doubt, he will tune in over the weekend as they play the Wests Tigers.
The Broncos next home game against Canberra could be more of a problem – it is due to kick off in the early hours of Saturday morning in Augusta, when Smith is likely to be tucked in bed waiting to play his third round.
Regardless, at some point he will watch the game and take his mind away from golf’s civil war, of which he has become a central figure after switching to the Saudi-backed LIV Tour.
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