Craig Bellamy to coach Storm in 2026
Craig Bellamy has confirmed he will continue his legendary tenure as Head Coach of Melbourne Storm, informing the Club of his decision to remain at the helm for the 2026 season.
Bellamy will enter his 24th consecutive year in charge, having coached 588 games and taken Storm to 21 finals series, five Grand Final wins and six Minor Premierships.
The 2026 season will be Bellamy’s fifth year of his coaching contract signed in May 2022.
The iconic coach shared the news with players and staff ahead of Friday’s Round 14 game against the Cowboys at AAMI Park.
“I’ve always said that I will only keep coaching if the players, coaches and club believe that I still have something to offer,” Bellamy said.
“As mentioned last season, my focus remains on developing our players and helping them learn and grow together as a team. Our squad is in a stable position and I’m looking forward to the improvement we can continue to make.
“I also want to ensure by making this decision that I’m not holding back any of our coaches, who continue to play a massive role in the improvement of this team. We have a great coaching group, who are very capable of stepping up and coaching at senior level.”
Melbourne Storm Chairman, Matt Tripp, added “Craig remains hugely committed to his role and continues to coach to a very high standard. We’re delighted that he will remain Head Coach in 2026 and have no doubt he will continue to drive our standards on and off the field.
“He leads an excellent group of coaches and performance staff, providing a great support base, and giving Craig the best opportunity to focus on his coaching and developing our players.
“We know Craig is as determined as ever to achieve further success, he has the energy and experience to drive Storm forward this season and build on our strong start to the year.”
Bellamy is one of only four coaches in NRL history to reach the 550-game mark and heads the list for most consecutive games with one club. He remains on track to coach his 600th senior game in Round 26 against the Sydney Roosters at AAMI Park.
The 65-year-old has the best win-loss record of any current coach in the NRL and has been awarded the Dally M Coach of the Year on seven occasions.
