OFFICIAL Bellamy extends contract with Melbourne Storm

[Broncapz]

Is there anyway to watch the press conferences online? and what time are they?

I still believe we were one spear tackle and a knock on away from not even having this conversation.

 

[the_next]

This isn't happening guys, it is a fabrication by Hooper and all we are doing is giving this idiot oxygen.

Badel is reporting that an undisclosed Broncos offical (believed to be White) flew to Melbourne last week to speak with Bellamy..
If this is on the money, I think there is merit to the story.

 

[Morkel]

White has met with Bellamy three times, the most recent being at a scheduled meeting in the airport last Thursday.

Source:Dobbo.

 

[Brent81]

BRISBANE chief executive Paul White has blindsided Wayne Bennett by holding secret talks with Storm super coach Craig Bellamy.
News Corp Australia can reveal White is the Broncos official involved in $5.6 million negotiations with Bellamy in an explosive development that leaves Bennett fighting for his future at Red Hill.

Storm powerbrokers are aware of Bellamy’s clandestine meeting with White, who was Brisbane CEO when the club board sacked Anthony Griffin in 2014 to bring Bennett back to the Broncos.

White has had at least two conversations with Bellamy in the past month.

Those talks escalated when an undisclosed Broncos official flew to Melbourne last Thursday to discuss a four-year deal with Bellamy worth $1.4 million a season — the richest coaching contract in NRL history.

Storm hierarchy is also aware of Brisbane’s furtive trip to Melbourne.

Bennett was not aware of the White-Bellamy meeting, but has twice heard rumours the Broncos are targeting his Storm rival, most recently two days ago, just before news broke of Brisbane’s massive $5.4 million bid.
A furious Bennett has since confronted White about the Bellamy approach.

White and Bennett’s friendship stretches back 34 years when the pair first met at the Queensland Police Academy in 1984.

White and Bennett both declined to comment last night, but the Broncos coach will address speculation about his future this morning at his weekly press conference following Brisbane’s captain’s run.

White will also attend the press conference to respond to the Bellamy bombshell.

Bellamy will also front the media at 3pm today at Melbourne airport, where it is understood the Storm coach will reveal plans to make a definitive call on his future in the next fortnight.

The Storm have tabled a three-year extension worth about $4 million, but it is dwarfed by the Broncos’ proposal. They have discussed a four-year deal worth $1.4m a season — the richest coaching contract in NRL history.

Bennett, who first employed Bellamy as his assistant at Brisbane in 1998, is currently on $1 million at the Broncos.
The 68-year-old Bennett is off-contract at the end of next season and has no plans to cut short his tenure at the club, insisting he still retains the passion and hunger to coach in the NRL in 2019.

It means White and the Broncos board face the gut-wrenching prospect of either sacking Bennett a year early, or asking Bellamy to wait 12 months before taking charge of Brisbane in 2020.

Melbourne bosses, however, will not allow Bellamy to sign a 12-month extension, meaning the 58-year-old must ostensibly decide between the Storm or the Broncos.

The Bennett-Bellamy coaching narrative has had some extraordinary twists and turns.

The duo fell out sensationally in 2006 over the Storm grapple-tackle saga, with Bennett vehemently opposing the wrestling tactics that Bellamy’s Melbourne teams mastered.

The Broncos then attempted to sign Bellamy in 2008 when Bennett announced he was joining the Dragons, only for the deal to collapse when former Brisbane powerbrokers slapped a deadline on Bellamy.

Last month, Bellamy exclusively told News Corp Australia that he had not closed the door on a return to the Broncos and would be open to any offer.
“
To say I would never coach the Broncos ... I wouldn’t say that,” he said.

“You never know what’s going to happen in life. A couple of times I said I would retire and here I am, I’m still coaching.

“I wouldn’t rule any option out. To be honest, the way Wayne is going, he might outlast me.”
Brisbane’s largest private shareholder, Phil Murphy, said he is not aware of any formal approach to Bellamy, but believes he would be an ideal choice to succeed Bennett.

“He is a superstar coach,” said Murphy, whose company owns 22 per cent of the Broncos.

“I haven’t heard about Brisbane approaching Bellamy, but if the club moves Wayne on or he decides to go, Craig is the best option on the market.

“If Wayne goes, as a shareholder, I would fully support getting Craig.”

 

[Cult]

Will they say that Bennett has the full support of the board?

If anything they'll say that the board has the full support of Bennett

 

[broncos4life]

Wow, all these 'power-brokers' are so lose lipped, it's quite incredible.

 

[Nashy]

Wow, all these 'power-brokers' are so lose lipped, it's quite incredible.

Everyone is. All it takes it telling one person to break that silence. They might talk to their wives for example.

 

[johnny plath]

Bellamy wont come here.... and whilst Id support the decision if the club went that way because i love the broncos, id also pick bennett to cpah us over bellamy every day of the week... a few reasons below:

1. I love rugby league. Bennett loves the game and tries to do good by it (international footy, encourages changes to the rules for fast free flowing football, he saved origin in the early 00’s, png work, and much-much more). Bellamy would sell the game down the toilet if it meant a win (salary cap, wrestling, rule “bending” in games)
2. We have won ALL our premierships with bennett, we thought the grass was greener before, howd that turn out? His record at least warrants him going out with a bit more respect i think.
3. Bellamys record without smith is ABYSMAL. He has a 20%(?) record qithout him, lost a gf by a record margin (40-0) without smith, won 2/9 origin games (worse then daleys record), and had 1/3 wins in city vs country. Paint it however you want, thats attrocious and shows he is unproven without him big time. Its still a gamble, bennett isnt
4. Our record and our development is back where it was since bennett has been back (win % is better then his first stint and juniors coming through is exceptional atm). We are missing a premiership but would bellamy get us closer then we are (within seconds and top 4 team regularly) if he didnt have smith with him? Unproven as above
5. Coaching the broncos is different to ANY Other team. Its a whole different beast. I heard the other day someone mention that bellamy said he realised after 3 years of coaching origin that it is different to coaching at club level and he would have done it differently if he was to do it again. It took him 3 years to realise this?! Can we wait this long if his system doesnt work here without smith??????

All said and done, I dont know how true this story is and how close bennett is to retiring. No one does. I talked to an ex players dad the other day and he said bellamy is a champion bloke who is portrayed in the media much like bennett is wrongly portrayed so i dont take much notice of that side of it. If he was a total asshole players wouldnt want to join the storm. I want a premiership as much as any on here but those pro-getting-bellamy fans are acting as if its a certainty with bellamy here, fpr the reasons above i can assure everyone it is no more guaranteed then if we had bennett. The debate should be whether we let bennet (the man who gave us all our premierships) decide when he retires and possibly not get bellamy, or if we get bellamy and tell bennett when he should retire?....

These are good points, but I think the point about how long Wayne has left is important. We don't know how long he has left, but it sure as shit won't be another 10 years, which is what they can get out of Bellamy. If they don't make this tough call now, as Wayne himself has done many times, who is on offer when Wayne does pull the pin. Maybe we'll get Griffin back. We fucked this up before, so hopefully they don't **** it again. IF Wayne truly loves the Broncos, which I have no doubt he does, he may have to see the bigger picture and set them free.

 

[Brett]

Any links for this press conference? Is it being televised anywhere??

 

[Cult]

Isn't the press conference at ten? Apparently it will be on Fox Sports

 

[BroncsFan]

These are good points, but I think the point about how long Wayne has left is important. We don't know how long he has left, but it sure as shit won't be another 10 years, which is what they can get out of Bellamy.

I think it should be asked if Bellamy can last another 10 years.

Yes Bennett is 68 but how many other coaches have lasted that long in the league or wanted to go for that long.

Bellamy has already toyed with the idea of retirement a few times and is already 59 this year... he's not exactly a spring chook himself

 

[broncos4life]

The press conference is at 10am and is on Fox Sports News channel for people that have foxtel.

 

[roo-ted]

The anticipation!!

 

[Aldo]

My guess is Bennett's cat died and the club is getting him a new one.

 

[Cult]

The press conference is at 10am and is on Fox Sports News channel for people that have foxtel.

You already posted that on your other account

 

[Unbreakable]

As much as I love Wayne, I hope this is real. For the future of the club this will be the biggest signing in recent memory.

 

[broncos4life]

You already posted that on your other account

****, I have to get better at this.

 

[roo-ted]

As much as I love Wayne, I hope this is real. For the future of the club this will be the biggest signing in recent memory.

I was just thinking that, this could be the biggest day in the Broncos history so far