A month after leading the Melbourne Storm to back-to-back grand finals, Craig Bellamy is reportedly set to extend his coaching career amid continuous links to the Gold Coast Titans.
Regarded as one of the best to ever coach in the NRL alongside Ivan Cleary, Jack Gibson, Tim Sheens and Wayne Bennett, Bellamy has led the Storm to five premierships and 11 Grand Final appearances since being appointed in 2003.
Recently linked with a shock move to the Gold Coast Titans after his current deal expires at the end of the next season, Bellamy is set to make a major call on his coaching future.
According to The Courier-Mail, the Storm coach is considering extending his coaching career at the Storm for another 12 months until the end of 2027 before moving into a coaching director’s role the following season in 2028.
While the likes of Billy Slater or Matt King are likely to succeed Bellamy once he decides to retire, it is understood that the Storm are confident that he will remain with them and ink an extension.
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A three-time premiership-winning coach (he won two more titles but they were later stripped due to salary cap breaches), Bellamy has been in charge at the Storm since 2003 and coached some of the best players in rugby league such as Billy Slater, Cameron Munster, Cameron Smith, Jahrome Hughes, Cooper Cronk, Israel Folau and Greg Inglis.
He also coached the NSW Blues in three State of Origin series (2008-10) and spent three years as the Country Origin coach (2005-07).
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – OCTOBER 02: Cameron Smith and Craig Bellamy of the Storm hold up the NRL premiership trophy during the Melbourne Storm NRL Grand Final celebrations at Gosch’s Paddock on October 2, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
Since his debut season as coach, he has yet to coach a losing NRL season and has never lost in Round One of a season throughout his 22 years as head coach.
“If that is what he thinks is best for him and his family, I would never stand in his way, and I don’t think the club would either,” Cameron Munster recently told The Daily Telegraph on the links between Bellamy and the Titans.
“He has done so much for the game and our club that I don’t think anyone would be filthy enough to tell him that he couldn’t leave.
“I know he has ties there (on the Gold Coast) with his daughter, Rach, and he loves the ‘Goldie’ and the weather.
“He has done everything he can at the club for 23 years as a head coach, so to go out on his terms would be pretty special. A lot of other coaches don’t get that opportunity.
“For him to say, ‘I’m going to leave on my terms’, is a testament to him and how hard he has worked. But at the same time, he would be sorely missed.”