New Blues coach Craig Bellamy says his appointment won't affect the Melbourne Storm during next year's State of Origin period. Bellamy was announced as Graham Murray's replacement as New South Wales coach for the 2008 series on Tuesday, and described the news of his graduation from NSW Country Origin coach as 'a great honour' and a 'huge bonus'. But while he added that 'it's a nice way to be going into a break' just 10 days after the Storm swept to the 2007 premiership, Bellamy dismissed any talk that the club will suffer from his enforced absences.
"It will add to my workload but as far as the club level goes I've got a couple of really good assistants here in Stephen Kearney and Michael Maguire, and they've covered for me before when I've been away with Country and the Australian team," Bellamy said. "It's obviously a little bit longer with the Origin but I'm sure they'll do a good job again and we'll plan for that and make sure we've got everything in place so (that) during that time most of my focus will be on Origin." Having had a big hand in the development of the likes of Cameron Smith, Greg Inglis and Dallas Johnson at the Storm, three of the keys in the Maroons team, Bellamy will obviously have some important inside knowledge.
"As I said yesterday, there's one thing about knowing what they do, it's another thing about stopping them, players like Inglis and Smith, they're wonderful players," Bellamy added. NSW may be coming off back-to-back series losses to Queensland in 2006 and 2007, but Bellamy says if the trend continues it won't be because he and the teams weren't fully prepared for the battle. "Everyone talks about pressure here with Melbourne and whatever but at the end of the day I know what my role will be and I'll play that role as best I can," he said.
"I won't leave any stone unturned, I'm sure the players will be the same and the rest of it's where the cards fall.
News RSS