Struggling Melbourne Storm head coach Craig Bellamy has made the shock call to step down from his role with the New South Wales Blues.
Bellamy has officially been a part of the State of Origin set up as senior advisor to coach and former Canberra Raiders teammate Laurie Daley.
But the master coach has relinquished himself of his duties after only spending one series with the side.
Channel 7’s The Agenda Setters: Rugby League panellist David Riccio described his role in the Origin arena as being responsible for team strategy and profiling players before taking to the park.
“He (Bellamy) would help with team selections, team strategy, profiling players and the entire camp set up,” Riccio said.
“It is a significant change for Laurie Daley, who will now solely rely on his coaching staff, Brett White, Matt King and Boyd Cordner.”
Bellamy isn’t the first member of the NSW Blues coaching staff to have departed this year.
Interim Dragons coach Dean Young, who was assistant to Daley last year, also resigned himself after taking the job on the south coast last week.
Riccio went on to reinforce this wasn’t a spontaneous decision in light of Melbourne’s bad form, with the heavy loss to the Rabbitohs on Saturday extending their losing streak to a staggering six games.
It’s the longest losing streak in Bellamy’s tenure at the club and worst since 2002.
“I understand this decision was made a few weeks ago, and I am not saying it is in direct relation to his current plight with the Melbourne Storm,” Riccio said.
“It is a decision Craig has made, knowing what is on his plate this year with the Melbourne Storm.”
Bellamy formerly served as head coach of the NSW Blues from 2008-2010, leaving the role after suffering three successive series losses. A role he took up whilst holding down his current position at the Melbourne Storm.
Speaking after Saturday night’s loss, Bellamy said it was the “most embarrassed” he’d been in his football career, which tallies 613 matches as NRL coach and 150 as a Canberra player.
