- Preparing for the 10th NRL Grand Final coaching Melbourne Storm
- The immortal Andrew Johns believes he is the best coach in the history of the code
- Johns described how Bellamy has enjoyed sustained success
Before emerging players potentially sign a contract with the Melbourne Storm, head coach Craig Bellamy takes the young budding stars out for a coffee.
They don’t know it at the time, but sitting down for coffee is about to determine their future, at least at AAMI Park.
Manners are everything: it’s a character trait that Bellamy demands, so if you don’t follow up with a “please” and a “thank you,” he won’t offer a deal, no matter the talent level.
Bellamy and head of football Frank Ponissi also go to great lengths to recruit well-rounded talent for their squad.
School principals, teachers and junior coaches are contacted, and if the consensus is that the player has an attitude or ego problem, he will not play for Melbourne.
Rugby league immortal Andrew Johns cannot speak highly enough of Bellamy and, ahead of Sunday’s grand final against Penrith, called the long-term mentor the best coach the code has ever seen.
“He’s the best, hands down,” Johns said in The immortal behavior of the wide world of sports.
‘You (also) never hear a player bag Craig Bellamy. ‘He’s an innovator, he changed the game.
Rugby league immortal Andrew Johns can’t speak highly enough of Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy (pictured)
Johns believes Bellamy is the best rugby league coach since 1908, and revealed the character traits the long-term Storm mentor looks for when recruiting players.
‘They (NRL) had to change the rules… I hate wrestling, but that’s what he is, an innovator.
‘He has it all. He is a managerial man, he works hard… his game plans are second to none. It’s wonderful.’
Bellamy has been in charge of Melbourne since 2003, when he replaced Mark Murray.
Sunday will be Bellamy’s 10th grand final with the Storm, where he has won six finals, although wins in 2007 and 2009 were later stripped due to salary cap cheating.
Johns also pointed to players such as Nick Meaney and Tryan Wishart as excellent examples of how fringe footballers from other clubs accept the Storm team philosophy (first once recruited by Bellamy) and quickly become real stars themselves.
In terms of Bellamy’s future, which seems to be an annual topic of conversation, ‘Joey’ can’t see him training anywhere else in the NRL.
“I hope he does it for at least another five years,” he said of the 65-year-old.
‘He has that competitive monster inside him. He comes every day at 5 in the morning… he’s a workaholic, it’s what he loves to do.’