Revealed: Craig Bellamy’s character test before signing players at the Melbourne Storm

Before emerging players potentially sign a contract with the Melbourne Storm, head coach Craig Bellamy takes budding young stars to a café.

They don’t know it at the time, but sitting down over a coffee is about to determine their future, at least at AAMI Park.

Manners are everything –  it is a character trait Bellamy demands, so if a ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ don’t follow, he won’t offer a deal, no matter the level of talent.

Bellamy and football boss Frank Ponissi also go above and beyond when recruiting well-rounded talent for their roster.

School principals, teachers and junior coaches are contacted – and if the consensus is the player has an attitude problem or an ego, they won’t be playing for Melbourne. 

Rugby league Immortal Andrew Johns can’t speak highly enough of Bellamy – and leading into Sunday’s grand final against Penrith, he labelled the long term mentor the greatest coach the code has ever seen.

‘He is the best, without a doubt,’ Johns said on Wide World of Sports’ Immortal Behaviour.

‘You [also] never hear a player bag Craig Bellamy. ‘He’s an innovator, he changed the game. 

Johns believes Bellamy is rugby league’s greatest ever coach dating back to 1908 – and revealed the character traits the long term Storm mentor looks for when signing players

‘They [NRL] had to change the rules…..I hate the wrestling, but that’s what he is, an innovator.

‘He’s got everything. He is a man manager, he works hard…. his game plans are second to none. He is a marvel.’

Bellamy has been at the helm in Melbourne since 2003 when he replaced Mark Murray.

Sunday will be Bellamy’s 10th grand final with the Storm – where he has won six deciders – although the triumphs in 2007 and 2009 were later stripped due to salary cap cheating.

Johns also pointed to the likes of Nick Meaney and Tryan Wishart as prime examples of how fringe footballers at other clubs buy into the Storm team-first philosophy once recruited by Bellamy – and quickly become genuine stars themselves. 

In terms of Bellamy’s future – which seems to be an annual topic of conversation – ‘Joey’ can’t see him coaching elsewhere in the NRL.

‘I hope he does it for another five years at least,’ he said of the 65-year-old.

‘He’s got that competitive monster inside him. He’s in every day at 5am…he’s a workaholic, it is what he loves doing.’