Melbourne Storm head coach Craig Bellamy is set to coach on for another year despite a neurodegenerative disorder diagnosis earlier this year clouding his future.
Bellamy's future has been a constant talking point for the last five years.
After coaching through a year-by-year contract that concludes at the end of this year, he signed a new two-year extension through to the end of 2028 at the back-end of last year.
The master coach, who oversaw a horror losing streak at the start of the year but has now righted the ship in the Victorian capital, was then diagnosed with a neurodegenerative disorder earlier this year, although the club went to great lengths to confirm Bellamy was still able to carry out his duties as head coach.
The chance of him continuing into next year has been up in the air, but speaking on NRL360, journalist Brent Read revealed Bellamy is now more likely to coach for another season.
“I think it depends on Craig. I think at the moment, Craig said he wants to go around again next year, (which) is the way I understand it,” Read said on the Fox Sports show.
“They will meet him in the next few weeks after Origin's over. They'll have a sit-down with Craig about next year, but as I understand it, Craig wants to go on next year.
“Melbourne won't shove him out the door. They'll leave it in Craig's court.”
Bellamy's future will continue under a microscope, with that pointed firmly at him on Monday when Queensland Maroons coach Billy Slater - widely tipped as the next coach of the club he used to play for - revealed he wouldn't be signing a new deal as head coach of the state, but said he would continue in the role on a handshake agreement while he is the right man for the job.
While Slater admitted he has no reason to leave the job anytime soon, the Melbourne backdrop will be a situation to follow, although Slater's appetite to become a head coach is unclear, with the Queensland coach also holding a role in the media and living in Queensland with other commitments in the Sunshine State.
Despite that, the Storm are believed to have identified their former champion fullback as a likely future head coach, and Read proposed the idea of a hybrid arangement featuring both Bellamy and Slater next year.
“I'd imagine they'll put a bit more support around him with what he's going through and maybe part of that is some sort of hybrid model where Billy can help Craig and do Origin,” Read continued.
“We don't know (if Billy is interested in the job), but if Craig walks away, they will move heaven and earth to get Billy the job.
“If Craig walks away, it's Billy's job and it'll be up to him if he takes it or not.”
