The secret sign one of NRL’s greatest-ever coaches Craig Bellamy could be preparing to walk away from the Melbourne Storm next year
Melbourne Storm super coach Craig Bellamy might be considering a return to Queensland soon after building a massive property portfolio on the Gold Coast.
Bellamy, 64, agreed earlier this year to remain the coach of Melbourne for a 23rd year in 2025, but new signs hint that he may be considering a move north sooner than later.
Bellamy and his wife Wendy have a property portfolio worth an estimated $9m in the Gold Coast suburb of Coolangatta, where they have four apartments.
The couple had a fifth apartment in the suburb, picked up for $875,000, which they recently sold for $1.56m.
Their longest held apartment in the suburb is a one bed unit purchased for $190,000 in 2002, that is now valued at $830,000.
In 2010, the couple picked up a two bed unit for $540,000 that is worth an estimated $1.45m today.
Another of their apartments was bought for $1.35m in 2020, which is now worth $2.8m.
The Storm will play in this weekend’s NRL grand final after another masterful season from Bellamy who didn’t expect the side to take out the minor premiership.
Melbourne Storm super coach Craig Bellamy might be considering a move to Queensland
Bellamy and his wife have property portfolio worth an estimated $9m in Coolangatta
Bellamy, who turns 65 this week, has indicated he will continue in the job next year.
‘I’ve always maintained that I will only continue coaching if the coaches, players and club think I still have something to offer,’ Bellamy told melbournestorm.com.au.
‘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,’ Bellamy said.
‘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.’
Bellamy took on the senior coaching role with the Storm in 2003, leading the team to a semi-final in his first year.
Bellamy’s Storm side will take on Penrith in the NRL grand final on Sunday
Since then the Storm have played in 21 finals series, winning the grand final on five occasions and the minor premiership seven times.
Since making his head coaching debut in 2003, Bellamy has developed into one of the most successful coaches in the NRL era.
He has clinched three premierships (2012, 2017 and 2020) and six minor premierships (2011, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2021 and 2024).
Bellamy has also been named Dally M Coach of the Year on six occasions and the Rugby League International Federation Coach of the Year twice.
Beyond Melbourne’s achievements on the field, Coach Bellamy has also mitigated the darkest days at the club when they were stripped of their 2007 and 2009 premierships and the 2006, 2007 and 2008 minor premierships over salary cap breaches.
He has also shown his guile as coach by managing the high-profile departures of players such as Greg Inglis, Cameron Smith, Cooper Cronk, Billy Slater, and the Bromwich brothers, who either moved to other clubs or retired over the last decade, without a dip in the team’s performance.
He has cultivated a new generation of talent, including Harry Grant, Cameron Munster, Ryan Papenhuyzen, and Jahrome Hughes, propelling the team to second place in the rankings after 10 rounds this season.
