This was always going to be a year full of lessons for Brodie Croft.
It began on Day 1 of pre-season when he stepped into the halfback duties on the training paddock.
Then there was a starring performance in the World Club Challenge, followed by a tough but invaluable start to the season.
Croft then moved back to reserve grade where he continued to exhibit a professionalism with Easts Tigers in the Queensland Cup.
Now he has been recalled into the NRL side over the last fortnight, scoring a try in both games while putting up 304 kicking metres against Manly, the same day in which he celebrated his 21st birthday.
It has been a rollercoaster experience for the young halfback but one in which his coach hopes will hold him in good stead for the future.
"He played strongly in both games," Bellamy said.
"Having said that he had an opportunity at the start of the year and he probably didn't grasp that with both hands. It is certainly not an easy job taking over from a guy like Cooper Cronk. There is an expectation from us but there is also an expectation from those outside the Club as well.
"We understand how hard and how demanding that was on him early in the season but I think he has handled the last two weeks really well. It is a credit he has handled it."
Rd 19 Coaches Media
Consistency is key.
That has always been the Bellamy way and by extension the Melbourne Storm way for nearly two decades.
It is a facet of every players game that they must improve in the infancy of their careers and Croft is no different.
"He just seems to be in more consistent form than he was early in the year," Bellamy said.
"It wasn't easy at the time to leave him out of the team but it was the right thing at that stage.
"That was probably something he learnt from. It was not an easy situation for him... I think it was a learning experience for everybody but I think Brodie came out of that well and I think his last two games he has played very well for us."
