Storm boss Justin Rodski is confident Craig Bellamy will continue his illustrious coaching career into the 2026 season – and perhaps even longer.
After it looked like Bellamy would be winding down a few years ago, the three-time premiership winner has found a new lease on life with the current playing group.
Melbourne made last year’s grand final and went down in a nail-biter against Penrith, but look to be one of the top hopes to take out this year’s title.
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The uncertainty over Bellamy’s future – which has become a talking point around this time every year – has yet to come up, with the belief that he will continue on.
And in the best indication yet, the club’s chief executive told 9News Melbourne that he “doesn’t see any reason why” Bellamy won’t extend his tenure at the Storm.
Craig Bellamy has coached the Storm since 2003. Getty
“We’ll sit down and talk to Craig over the next couple of weeks,” Rodski said.
“All the indications I’ve received are really positive. He is really enjoying his coaching, he’s got a lot of energy coming into work every day and he’s got a great squad.
“I can’t see any reason why he wouldn’t coach on – but we have to sit down and have that discussion. I’m feeling pretty confident about how he’s feeling about coaching on.
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“He’s still got some really good coaching left in him – he’s only a young man and he’s got the energy, the passion and the desire and he’s coaching as well as ever.
“Let’s hope it’s not just next year and it’s beyond that.”
The 65-year-old has been at the helm of the Storm for more than two decades and overcame plenty of adversity in the late-2000s with the salary cap scandal.
In recent years, fans have seen a softer side of Bellamy, highlighted by his Stan Sport documentary that went behind the scenes at the Storm.
The club’s head of football, Frank Ponissi, believes that Bellamy should be looking to take “inspiration” from a fellow veteran coach to continue his career.
“He’s coaching as well as I have ever seen,” he told 4BC Radio.
“I see no reason why he shouldn’t continue and I think Wayne Bennett is proving that age is not a barrier. He is doing wonderful things … that should be an inspiration for Craig.”
Melbourne will take on the Warriors in round six at AAMI Park.
