‘Next year or two’: Bellamy drops major coaching hint; Recruit lifts lid on ‘emotional’ move — NRL Daily

Storm coach Craig Bellamy has responded to superstar playmaker Cameron Munster who said he would remain at the club as long as the legendary boss was still there.

It comes on the back of Bellamy giving his champion five-eighth permission to negotiate with the Chiefs who recently added Zac Lomax to their impressive roster for when they enter the NRL competition in 2028.

Munster was meant to travel to PNG along with Lomax last weekend, but he felt it wasn’t the right time given his current injury as well as Melbourne’s struggles that will likely mean they will miss the finals for the first time since 2010.

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The Storm veteran turns 32 in a few weeks and has Bellamy’s blessing to finish his career wherever he wants to ensure his family is in the best position when he retires.

Bellamy’s future is also clouded after the Storm coach was diagnosed with a neurodegenerative disorder earlier in the year, with the legendary boss providing an update on when he might retire.

“The next year or two is when I’ll be finishing up, so he’ll (Munster) end up older than me if I stop counting my age,” he said.

“I’d love to go through my entire coaching career with him ending at the same time, but he’s got a decision to make.

“He’ll make the right decision for what’s right for his family, and he’s got the right do to that.”

Meanwhile, Bellamy is relying on Trent Toelau and rookie Hayden Watson to pick up the slack with superstar skipper Harry Grant unavailable for the next few weeks as he deals with a hamstring injury.

“Any team losing their captain, that’s a big loss,” Bellamy said ahead of Friday’s must-win clash with the Bulldogs.

“But Harry especially is always in the middle of the play, whether it’s with the ball or without the ball.

“He’ll be a loss for us, but when someone misses out, someone else gets a chance. We’ll deal with that tomorrow night, and hopefully some of the young blokes can do a good job for us.”

— Martin Gabor (NCA NewsWire)

STORM RECRUIT LIFTS LID ON ‘EMOTIONAL’ MOVE

Storm recruit Oryn Keeley says Brisbane’s coffee beans are “way better” than the ones down in Melbourne, but that’s an easy fix for the rising star who has opened up on the emotional move south after struggling for opportunities at the Dolphins.

Keeley, 23, signed with the Storm at the end of 2025 but wasn’t expected to make the move until the end of the current season.

But after being limited to just six appearances for the Dolphins – four of those off the bench – all parties agreed to release him early to take up an opportunity at the injury-hit Storm.

That meant hopping on a plane and flying down to Melbourne with his partner and baby girl, with his partner’s uncle driving down and taking Keeley’s car and beloved coffee machine with him.

“It’s definitely not easy when you’re 23 and our daughter was eight weeks at the time,” Keeley told the NewsWire.

“As a dad, it wasn’t easy, but having my partner trust what I needed was massive because she said that we need to be happy and I need to have a fair opportunity to play. That meant coming down here early.

“There were some tough conversations, but I’m very grateful that the Dolphins did release me because I’ve never been so happy in my life, and my family is very happy.

“It was very tough, but these tough times that I had to go through made me a better person and have made my family stronger.

“We know that the next challenge that comes up, we can defeat it. Whatever is thrown at us, we will deal with it.”

Keeley said the Storm’s support before and during the move was “overwhelming”, which spilt over during the jersey presentation before his club debut against the Titans earlier this month.

“I was emotional that a great club like this wanted to bring a kid from Gosford down and give him an opportunity to play here,” he said, revealing he asked his partner to stay outside because that would have sent him over the top.

“It gives me goosebumps thinking about playing for this club. The faith that the club put into me (is something they didn’t have to do), which is why I was a bit emotional when I looked at the jersey and saw my name on it.

“To have the backing of Craig (Storm coach Craig Bellamy) and the senior group to throw me in in my first week hit me in the face when I got up to speak.

“I always get emotional in those types of things, but that one was very emotional because it’s an honour to play at this club. I was like a little kid when I got up there.”

Everyone knew that Keeley was a great get for the Storm given how well he played last year after also starring in the 2024 State Championship final with two tries.

But he couldn’t get a start with Kulikefu Finefeuiaki and Connelly Lemuelu at the Dolphins, which fast-tracked his move to the club his brother supports.

“I thought I deserved to be playing now, but that wasn’t the case,” he said.

“They had lots of players there, so I thought I’d make the move early so I could learn the system so I could be ready next year and be aware of what’s required. It was a tough move, but it was what I needed to do for my football career and my family.

“As a young kid, I think everyone can agree that you’d watch Melbourne on a Friday night and you knew what you were in for. You look at the calibre of players they’ve produced, and it’s ridiculous.”

Those players include Ryan Hoffman, Adam Blair, Tohu Harris and Eli Katoa who have all thrived in the back row.

“They put on the jersey and went to war for it,” Keeley said, with the Storm hoping to turn him into another genuine superstar.

“I look at Eli Katoa and think what he’s done for the club already, so I can’t wait to go to battle with a player like him. It’s such a rich history here, so it’s exciting that I get to be a part of it.

“I think Eli is the best back-rower in the comp in terms of everything from how he gets up for the high ball, how he runs the ball and how tough he is. He’s the prototypical back-rower.

“That made me excited to come here and learn off him.

“You watch all of the back-rowers who have played here, and they all blossomed in the Storm system. For me to take my game to the next level, the best thing was for me to come here.”

Keeley will start again on Friday night against the Bulldogs, with Melbourne’s incredible finals streak set to come to an end unless they win all of their remaining games.

But it’s all part of the journey for Keeley, who learnt plenty about the Storm from club legends Felise Kaufusi and the Bromwich brothers during their time together at the Dolphins.

“The way they used to talk about this club, they put them on a pedestal,” he said.

“If you want to become good and become great, that’s what Melbourne only accept. There’s a standard, and you don’t go below it. That made me excited that I could come down here and learn that and try to be like that every day.

“I think the way they hold themselves off the field – win, lose or draw – is consistent.

“They drill the same message into you all week and you’re expected to go out there and know what to do because of the messages you’ve received from the coaching staff.”

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