If there were any remaining doubters about the coaching credentials of Melbourne Storm mentor Craig Bellamy, they were silenced last year.
His player stocks stripped back by the salary cap cheating scandal, Bellamy melded a side of stars, has-beens, nobodies and newcomers and came within a game of the NRL grand final.
In his 10th year in the job, the passion remains.
Bellamy said it was too early in the year to know if he has the line-up to win the competition but on paper they should do better than in 2011.
“Last year we had a real hectic pre-season in that we had half a new squad and two new assistant coaches as well,” Bellamy said.
“It wasn’t just trying to get the players up to speed but the coaches.
“This year we haven’t had the same turnover of players and the under-20 players who have come up already have the same systems and beliefs.”
The Storm were relatively quiet in the player market, luring 33-year-old prop Jason Ryles south after he was cast out by the Roosters.
One of Bellamy’s favourite sons, second rower Ryan Hoffman, has returned after a season with Super League club Wigan while Will Chambers is back in the fold after a two-year stint in rugby union.
Ryles and Hoffman will bring leadership and experience to the pack following the departure of NZ international Adam Blair to Wests Tigers and the retirement of Troy Thompson and Adam Woolnough.
With the big physical Warriors pack getting over the top of the Storm in the preliminary final, those two will bring some added muscle.
Bellamy, who has an enviable record of getting the best out of aging forwards, said Ryles had impressed at training.
“He’s played some big time footy; the 2010 grand final, Origin and for Australia so he knows his craft really well.
“He’ll bring a fair bit to our team and will be a good mentor to our younger players.”
Bellamy also predicted big things for Chambers, who in his time away had added extra bulk on to his already imposing frame but hadn’t lost his impressive pace.
Chambers is a ready-made replacement for Beau Champion, who defected to the Titans, and Chase Stanley, who left for the Dragons after missing the bulk of the year through injury.
The Storm started the 2011 season without a recognised five-eighth and finished with one of the best in the game in Englishman Gareth Widdop.
The 22-year-old, who emigrated to Australia with his family as a teen, is part of an emerging crop of talent that won the competition’s under-20s title in 2009.
Bellamy said they were key to his side’s success.
“Matt Duffie, Jesse Bromwich, Kevin Proctor, who all came through that under-20s side; you’d like to think that there’s going to be some improvement in those guys and if they improve, the team will improve,” said Bellamy.
