Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy has decided on his coaching future ahead of the top-of-the-table clash against the Cronulla Sharks on Saturday.
In 2022, Bellamy signed a five-year contract with the club that allows him to choose if will continue as head coach or walk away from the top coaching gig and transition into a coaching director role.
On Friday, the Melbourne Storm announced that Bellamy has decided to remain as the Melbourne Storm coach for next season, re-signing for the 2025 NRL season.
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).
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.
“I've always maintained that I will only continue coaching if the coaches, players and club think I still have something to offer,” Bellamy said.
“As I said last season, my focus now is helping individuals learn and grow. If we can help players and coaches improve, the team will improve.
“We have a really settled list now and I have seen this group of players grow on and off the field over the last couple of seasons.
"They have already shown some great improvement in the first few rounds this season, but there is a lot more ahead for them and I am excited about what that might look like.
“Making this decision, I also wanted to make sure it wouldn't hold back any of our coaches who equally make this club a great place to work at.
“Our coaching group is very settled now and, in my opinion, all of them could step up at any time and coach at NRL level today.."
Earlier this year it was rumoured that assistant coach Jason Ryles would take over the reins as head coach, however, if will now have to wait an extra season due to the six-time Dally M Coach of the Year signing on for 2025.