Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy knows he has to make a decision whether he will coach on in 2023 but he woxjmtzywn’t decide by March 31.
The premiership winning supercoach, who on Thursday takes charge of his 500th game when Storm takes on South Sydney, has been given an extension on a deadline set by the club hierarchy to make his decision.
Only four NRL coaches have ever made it to 500 games, and Bellamy has the best winning percentage of the quartet at 70 per cent.
Bellamy, 62, is only contracted for one more season but could go on should he desire, before moving in to a director of coaching role at the club.
While club officials want to know sooner rather than later, Bellamy said he hadn’t made up his mind.
“I was supposed to make a decision but it‘s been a bit of a disrupted pre-season for me in a few ways and I haven’t worked that out so the club has been good enough to give me a bit more time,” Bellamy said on Wednesday.
“I don‘t want to be letting anybody down so when I lose some enthusiasm or I think I’m not being as thorough or as hardworking as I need to be, that’s when it’s time to go,
“I‘m not sure what that reason will be but things change in your life.
“I‘m a grandfather and it’s one of the most enjoyable times but as soon as I feel I can’t give it the time and effort that I’ve given it my whole career well then I know that’s the time that I’m out.”
Storm continued it’s amazing Round 1 record with a come-from-behind win over the Wests Tigers last Saturday, continuing an unbeaten run in the opening match of the season since Bellamy took over in 2003.
But it came at a significant cost losing skipper Christian Welch (Achilles) and winger George Jennings (knee) for the season and star hooker Brandon Smith (broken hand) will missing a month.
Superstar playmaker Cameron Munster, Harry Grant and co-captain Jesse Bromwich will all return for Thursday’s clash with the Rabbitohs and Bellamy was adamant the personnel changes won’t impact their season.
“Obviously there‘s some challenges losing Welchy and George and Brandon is out for little bit so it’s been a tough week but I was so proud of what the team did, we’ve just got to make sure we back that up again this week,” Bellamy said.
“It doesn’t happen too often that you lose two players, one being your captain, for the season on one night.
“We needed to get out of that mindset when we came back to training this week and I think the boys have.
“It was certainly a downer … but we’ve had to move on from there.”
