Storm hoping Bellamy coaching call not far away

Melissa Woods | April 25, 2023

Melbourne are hopeful they may have an answer on Craig Bellamy’s future by the end of the week with the coach set to meet with Storm chairman Matt Tripp.

The Storm gave Bellamy a month extension to make a call on whether he will lead the club for a 22nd NRL season or move in a director of coaching position.

He signed a five-year deal in 2021 but it had a clause that he could make the switch when he felt the time was right.

Tripp said Bellamy was aware they needed a decision so they could nail down a new coach for 2024 if required and felt the master mentor was close to making a call.

“I feel it’s imminent,” Tripp told SEN.

“Craig acknowledges that the longer it goes on the less runway we have to find a replacement.

“We’ll never find a replacement like the great Craig Bellamy but we’ll need as much time to run a comprehensive and thorough search in order to get the right person and he realises with each week that runway shortens.”

Tripp felt a month ago Bellamy was “done” but now wasn’t certain which way he was leaning.

He said they planned to meet later in the week when he hoped to get a clearer picture of his intentions.

“We’ve got a couple of days off and he’s going to Queensland to see his family so he will speak to them and then towards the back-end of the year we will get together for a chat and I’m living in hope we can keep him for one more year.”

Tripp already got one prized signature in the bag with Kiwi Test prop Nelson Asofa-Solomona committing to a further four years, with the announcement coming after the Anzac Day victory over the Warriors.

Asofa-Solomona was in high demand, fielding huge offers from the Dolphins and also Rugby Australia to be a part of the Wallabies set-up.

“Nelson already has a tremendous record of achievement here at Storm and we’re sure he will continue to build on that over the coming years,” Tripp said in a club statement.

“He’s in the prime of his career and is embracing his new role as one of the leaders of our forward pack and we hope Nelson will be a one-club player with Storm.”