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The feature that Storm CEO would prefer in potential Bellamy successor
SEN • October 30th, 2025 8:49 pm
CEO of the Melbourne Storm, Justin Rodski, has spoken regarding the contract situation of coach Craig Bellamy.
With the supercoach entering his 24th season in charge, speculation has been rife about his coaching future.
This comes after the Gold Coast Titans, who have just appointed Josh Hannay to the head coach position, sounded out the 66-year-old to see if he would be interested in taking the position in 2027.
With next year being the fifth and final year of his coaching contract, which he signed in 2022, there is a possibility that he could choose to finish up at the conclusion of 2026.
But as the CEO notes, whatever decision is made, it will be a joint one between the club and Bellamy.
“At the end of the day, we respect the fact that Craig is going to take the time he needs to make the decisions that are best for him,” Rodski told SEN 1170’s The Run Home.
“And ultimately, when he makes those decisions, he’s also making them in the best interest of the club.
“He’s contracted for next season; I saw the Gold Coast announcement around him deferring his decision to potentially going there.
“We’ll sit down with Craig once he’s back from holidays and have a discussion around where things sit for him and his family, and I’m sure in the end, we’ll come to an agreement on whether it’s an extension or whether he finishes up.
“Whatever it might be, it will be done together and in partnership because it has been an incredible 24 years together, and he’s earned the right to the time to make those decisions.
“So, hopefully we’ll have some form of announcement in the coming months, but if history is anything to go by, it might be well into next season.”
The conversation surrounding Bellamy’s succession has certainly been spoken about for a considerable time.
And this is something that Rodski has acknowledged with talk of Bellamy’s potential departure having taken place over several years at Storm HQ.
And while they are yet to even speak with Bellamy about his plans beyond 2026 or consider any potential candidates, the CEO did say that he would prefer a candidate who had worked with the club previously.
“It’s an interesting one, isn’t it?” he said.
“We have been discussing that over the last three or four years; you’ve always got to be planning for the unknown.
“You’re never going to replace someone like Craig Bellamy, but the decision on who we do put in the coaches’ chair when he does finally hang up the boots is such an important one for our club.
“We’ll sit down as a board and executive team and look at all the options and make sure we work through a process to ensure that we get the best possible candidate.
“Someone with Storm DNA is clearly preferable for us as well.
"Obviously, Craig has had a lot of lieutenants over the years and assistants who have been through our system and understand our culture and our way of doing things. You’d like to think that it is someone that comes from that stock.
“But at the same time, we would be open to exploring all avenues to ensure we get the best person.”
