Legendary Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy has placed a timeline on when he will consider retiring from the competition.
It comes as a response to Cameron Munster, who insisted he will remain at the Storm as long as Bellamy is at the helm, following speculation the star five-eighth could be on the move.
Bellamy gave a special exemption to Munster to negotiate with the PNG Chiefs, who enter the competition in 2028.
Reports have emerged Munster was expected to travel to Papua New Guinea at the same time fresh recruit Zac Lomax did.
But the Queensland Maroons skipper opted against it due to focusing on his recovery from his knee injury and wanted to remain concentrated on the Storm's campaign as they face missing the Top 8 for the first time since 2010.
Both of their futures are up in the air at the Storm, and with Bellamy diagnosed with a neurodegenerative disorder earlier in the year, he has provided a timeline of when he thinks he will retire from coaching.
“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 to do that.”
The club faces an uphill battle to make the Top 8, with their fate all but sealed for 2026.
Matters are made worse with skipper Harry Grant going down with a hamstring injury last weekend against South Sydney, stretching the hooker depth thin.
“Any team losing their captain, that's a big loss,” Bellamy said.
“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.”
The Storm will host the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs on Friday night at AAMI Park.
