Titans star backs club to make right call on Bellamy
Glenn Moore, Joel Gould and Scott Bailey |
Gold Coast captain Tino Fa’asuamaleaui has backed the club’s owners to make the “right decision” on Craig Bellamy, while admitting his former mentor would have a massive impact on the Titans.
Bellamy’s future remains rugby league’s biggest talking point, the veteran Melbourne coach weighing up whether to accept an approach from Gold Coast for 2027.
Speaking at the Ashes launch in England, Melbourne captain Harry Grant admitted he could see why a Gold Coast move might be attractive to Bellamy, but was unsure if it would happen.
The Titans have been pursuing Bellamy since before they signed Josh Hannay as coach in August for the next three years.
AAP revealed last week the club has an option to elevate Bellamy to head coach in 2027 if they can secure him. Hannay was aware of the plan when he signed.
Fa’asuamaleaui won the 2020 premiership under Bellamy and rates him very highly, but reiterated Titans owners Rebecca and Brett Frizelle knew what they were doing.
“I’m putting full faith into the owners making the right decision,” he told AAP in London.
“I know Craig very well. He obviously gave me my opportunity to start my career in the NRL, and I’ve got a lot of respect for Craig.
“He’s a good man. Obviously I’ve had a lot to do with the Storm with being down there when I was younger and winning the premiership down there.”
The Titans have played finals just once since the start of 2017, and Fa’asuamaleaui said there was no doubt three-time premiership-winner Bellamy would improve any team.
“Any club in the NRL would get a massive impact having one of the best coaches in the league coach there,” he said.
“It’s up to the owners. They are good owners and they know how to make the decision.”
Fa’asuamaleaui signed a 10-year deal in 2023, but has a clause in his contract allowing him to play elsewhere in 2027.
He will be a free agent from November 1, but has also made clear he wants to play under Hannay.
“I’ve worked with Josh since I was a young kid in the Queensland rep teams and he knows what he wants and how to achieve it,” Fa’asuamaleaui said.
“He’s very straight with you and has done his apprenticeship as an assistant in the NRL and Queensland.
“Now he gets the chance to step up and be a head coach, which is cool. I’m glad he is coming here.
“My heart is here at the Titans. I came here to achieve something.
“Those clauses are in (my contract) for a reason, not because I want to leave but as a safety net.
“I hope people can see that. Your career is short in the NRL. I am halfway through it and I wanted to achieve success.”
Ideally, the Titans would know whether Bellamy will take over as coach in 2027 before Hannay begins his first pre-season in charge on November 9.
Bellamy has purchased a property at Rainbow Bay at the southern end of the Gold Coast and has family in the region. He plans to relocate there when he finishes up with the Storm.
Even if the 66-year-old does not want to coach on next year, both Melbourne and the Titans would welcome him in an off-field role while living on the Gold Coast.
The Titans have sought the Storm mentor’s services in the past when the Frizelle and Kelly families took over the licence from the NRL at the end of 2017.
“I know he spends a lot of time up there with extended family, so I can see that side of things,” Grant said.
“But I don’t know if I can see the footy side of things, where he’s so attached to the Melbourne Storm.”
If Bellamy does leave the Storm, AAP has been told Billy Slater will be their prime target. His contract as Queensland State of Origin coach expires next year.
AAP
