Storm legend Cooper Cronk doesn’t believe former Melbourne teammate Billy Slater will step up and replace Craig Bellamy as the club’s next head coach.
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Every Storm fan watching Fox League’s broadcast between Melbourne and the Bulldogs on Friday night sat up in their seat when footage from the sheds captured Slater coaching up several Storm players at half time.
Slater, the current Maroons coach, has been heavily linked as Bellamy’s possible replacement whenever the legendary coach decides to step away from the role he’s held since 2003.
Slater hasn’t given any indication publicly he wants the Melbourne gig.
When the footage from the sheds of Slater deep in conversation with Tyran Wishart and Sua Fa’alogo, Anasta asked the Fox League panel whether Slater “could be the next man up”.
“I don’t think he wants to do it, I don’t think he will do it. I think the Melbourne Storm would love for him to do it,” Cronk replied.
“Coaching is 24-7, 365 days. He did that as a player for 16, 17 years.
“I think Melbourne Storm would love him to do it. Personally he’s never said this to me, but I just don’t think he would.”
Billy Slater in the Storm sheds at half time.Source: FOX SPORTS
“He’d be the obvious choice wouldn’t he?” Kangaroos coach Kevin Walters speculated.
“He’s got his racehorses and he’s coaching Queensland but that (vision) looks to me like the next Melbourne Storm coach right there.”
Remarkably, following the Bulldogs loss, the Storm are set to miss the finals for just the second time since Bellamy took the reigns 23 years ago.
During the week, Bellamy stated he has another season or two in him but it could depend on whether Cameron Munster stays with the club. Munster has been linked to the PNG Chiefs.
Bellamy’s contracted with the Storm until the end of 2028, but his future in coaching is clouded given he was diagnosed with a neurodegenerative disorder earlier in the year.
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Cronk was asked what he thought his former coach should do, with the champion halfback urging Bellamy to continue on.
“A couple of years ago I told Craig I thought he’d you know, walk away. You’ve done everything that you can in the game, you’ve improved the lives of young men that come through the doors and Melbourne Storm. If he asked me now, I would tell him to coach on,” Cronk said.
“I would say because of his condition, I think he loves the energy, I think he loves helping young people. He’s obviously still good at it. The players still respect him. But the Melbourne Storm will look after him.
“I would say to him personally, stay involved, get the stimulus, do the things you’re good at. And maybe the Melbourne Storm put a succession plan in. Maybe they start ushering someone through next year.”