Why Storm players love playing for Bellamy - Sports News

Master tactician, reassuring phone caller, half-time blaster, wedding guest - Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy has been many things to his players but they all agree he's the key to the Storm's consistent success.

Minor premiers Melbourne are contesting their 14th NRL finals campaign in the 15 years Bellamy has been at the club - the only exception being the 2010 season when they were stripped of competition points for salary cap cheating.

While many credit superstars Cameron Smith, Cooper Cronk and Billy Slater as the backbone of that unparalleled run, Storm players say it couldn't have happened without Bellamy.

In Friday night's preliminary final against Brisbane, Bellamy will coach his 393rd NRL game, drawing level with the great Jack Gibson at seventh on the all-time list.

He has the best strike-rate of the current crop of NRL coaches, with 267 wins at 67.6 per cent, with the Roosters' Trent Robinson next best at 62.3 per cent from 130 games.

To his players, however, there are many, often more personal, reasons why they rate him the best.

"He's a huge part of this club - I don't know if the club would be where it is without him," says forward Tim Glasby.

"He puts in so much work and time and the players all respect him and love being coached by him.

"He drives a hard work ethic here and it's a tough gig sometimes but you do what he tells you because you know it's best for the team."

from SPORT 24H news AFL NRL TENNIS FOOTBALL http://ift.tt/2w3ZEgC - Sports News

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