NRL Coaches /

2026 NRL Coach Profile

Head Coach: Craig Bellamy

Born: 3 October 1959, Portland (NSW)

Appointed Position: 2003

Previous Roles: Canberra Raiders President’s Cup (1993-95), Canberra Raiders, Reserve Grade Coach (1996), Canberra Raiders Assistant Coach (1997), Brisbane Broncos, Assistant Coach (1998-2002), Australian Kangaroos Assistant Coach (2005-2006), NSW Country Origin (2005-2007), NSW State of Origin (2008-2010)

Playing Record: Canberra Raiders (1982-1990, 1992), Swinton Lions (1991)

Premiership Coaching Record: 606 games, 422 wins, 182 defeats, 2 draws (604 games Melbourne Storm, 2 games Brisbane Broncos)

Winning Percentage: 69.64%

Career Bio: Craig is one of the most decorated coaches in NRL history. Now into his 24th season as Storm’s Head Coach, Craig has surpassed 600 matches in charge with a remarkable winning percentage of 69%, including 11 Grand Final appearances, five Grand Final wins and six Minor Premierships.

 

Assistant Coach:

Marc Brentnall 

Born: 14 Februrary 1984

Position: Assistant Coach

Previous Coaching Roles: Melbourne Storm U20 Head Coach, Melbourne Storm Development Coach

Career Bio: An integral part of Storm’s coaching line-up since 2013, Marc Brentall is a Melbourne Storm Life Member and Assistant Coach to Craig Bellamy. Brentnall’s long association with the Club began back in 1998 as Storm’s inaugural ball boy. It then moved into his playing days where he was part of the Storm squad, featuring for feeder side Norths Devils before he moved into the coaching ranks.

Brentnall helped steer the Club’s next generation in the U20 Thunderbolts program which included a stint as NYC Head Coach in 2015 before moving into a development coaching role and then graduating to Assistant Coach his current post.

The fruits of Brentnall’s hard work can be seen on the field, playing an instrumental role with the Club’s playmakers to get their attack humming each week.

 

Assistant Coach: Ryan Hinchcliffe 

Born: 7 October 1984

Previous Coaching Role: Melbourne Storm Development Coach, Toa Samoa Assistant Coach

Playing Record: Melbourne Storm, Canberra Raiders, Huddersfield Giants, NSW Country

Career Bio: Ryan Hinchcliffe, a Melbourne Storm Premiership winning player Life Member, is a key member of Melbourne Storm’s NRL coaching staff as an Assistant Coach. After beginning his coaching journey as a Development Coach in 2019, Hinchcliffe now plays an integral role in the day-to-day preparation of the NRL squad, working closely with Head Coach Craig Bellamy.

A veteran of 177 Storm games and 290 NRL matches overall, Hinchcliffe’s understanding of the Club’s environment makes him a valuable link between players and staff. Highly regarded for his communication and tactical awareness, he was recently appointed Assistant Coach of Toa Samoa for the 2025 Pacific Championships, working alongside Head Coach Ben Gardiner.

 

Assistant Coach: Aaron Bellamy

Born: 12 June 1989

Position: Assistant Coach

Previous Coaching Roles: Melbourne Storm Development Coach and Performance Analyst

Career Bio: Football and Melbourne Storm have always been a part of Aaron Bellamy’s life, the now Assistant Coach has been in and around the Club for more than 20 years.

Working as a video analyst starting in the premiership year of 2012, Bellamy assisted coaching and performance staff analysing training and game vision while also supporting opposition analysis. He officially joined the Club’s NRL coaching outfit in 2016 as a Development Coach, working with the younger members of the Storm squad looking to make the transition into first-grade.

Bellamy has since stepped into his current role as Assistant Coach where he plays a vital role in developing talent and fine-tuning Storm’s attacking structures, his trademark work ethic paired with his genuine passion and care has helped many a Storm player come through the system achieve their potential. In 2025, Bellamy joined his father Craig as a Melbourne Storm Life Member.

 

Leadership & Development Coach: Todd Lowrie

Born: 14 July 1983

Previous Coaching Roles: Newcastle Knights U20 Head Coach

Playing Record: Melbourne Storm, Newcastle Knights, Parramatta Eels, New

Zealand Warriors, Brisbane Broncos

Career Bio: Todd Lowrie rejoined Melbourne Storm in 2023 as NRL Development Coach, bringing extensive playing and coaching experience. A former Storm player, he featured in 65 games between 2010 and 2012, including the 2010 World Club Challenge and the 2012 NRL Grand Fina victory.

Across a 13-season career spanning five clubs, Lowrie played 203 NRL games, earning a reputation for his work ethic, game intelligence, and leadership. After retiring in 2015, he moved into coaching, starting with Australian Catholic University, then serving with the Newcastle Knights U20s (2016–2018) and as Head Coach of Wests Newcastle (2020).

At Storm, Lowrie now mentors players in the Club’s pathway system and leads both the senior and emerging leadership groups.

 

Director of Football: Frank Ponissi

Born: 16 August 1964

Previous Coaching Roles: Australian Kangaroos, Manly Sea Eagles, Northern Eagles, Clermont Auvergne, Northampton Saints

Career Bio: Frank Ponissi is the Director of Football at Melbourne Storm, a role he has held for the past 18 years. Ponissi commenced his role at Storm in November 2007, forming one of the most successful high-performance partnerships in Australian sport together with head coach, Craig Bellamy.

During his time at the Storm, Melbourne has won four premierships, reaching the finals in the last 16 seasons and, in more recent times, he has overseen the introduction of Storm’s male pathways and junior representative programs.

Prior to his role at Storm, Frank Ponissi enjoyed successful coaching stints in rugby union with English Premiership outfit Northampton Saints and French Top 14 side Clermont Auvergne. His rugby league coaching experience spans assistant roles with the Manly Sea Eagles, the Northern Eagles, and at international level with the Australian Kangaroos.