Craig Bellamy

Portland-born utility played for Oberon in 1977-78 before joining Macquarie United in the Newcastle competition. Bellamy was recommended to St George by former Test star Billy Wilson but it was newcomers Canberra that gained his services for their debut season in 1982. Bellamy was subjected to several positional changes as the Raiders struggled to be competitive - fullback, winger, five-eighth and lock - but played the majority of his career in the centres. An interchange player in the club’s grand final win over Penrith in 1990, Bellamy spent the 1991 season with Turvey Park (Wagga) before returning to the Raiders for one last season. Bellamy coached the club’s President’s Cup side to premiership success in 1995 before spending four seasons with the Broncos as performance co-ordinator and assistant coach to Wayne Bennett (1998-2002). In 2003 he took over as Melbourne Storm coach and took the club to consecutive semi-final appearances in 2003-05. Many critics thought the Storm would struggle in 2006 without chief playmaker Matt Orford, who had signed with Manly, but under Bellamy’s coaching the Storm won its first minor premiership and was unluckily beaten in the grand final by Brisbane. One of the brightest prospects in League’s coaching ranks Bellamy was assistant coach to Ricky Stuart during Australia’s successful Tri-Nations campaign.