State of Origin is a storied contest between NSW and Queensland, but will likely be decided by those residing in Victoria.
The addition of Melbourne mentor Craig Bellamy to a new-look Blues coaching staff led by Laurie Daley adds yet another influential Storm figure to the annual interstate battle. Having ushered in a new generation of top-flight coaches, Bellamy’s legacy extends well beyond what he has achieved at club level.
Most of his proteges have made their mark in Origin. Billy Slater is the current Queensland coach, who was ably assisted by long-time Storm teammate Cameron Smith until last year. Before Slater, another Storm graduate, Kevin Walters, was the man in charge of the Maroons.
NSW enjoyed a breakthrough series win under Michael Maguire this year, another clipboard holder who cut his teeth in the Storm system. Maguire was assisted by right-hand man Frank Ponissi, Melbourne’s general manager of football, who will remain on the Blues staff as team performance manager.
Assistant NSW coaches Brett White and Matt King also learnt their trade under Bellamy, although the latter hasn’t yet confirmed he will continue next year. The announcement on Tuesday of Dean Young as an assistant, as a replacement for Hull FC coach John Cartwright, is one of the few non-Storm appointments made by the NSWRL.
Add Storm superstars Cameron Munster, Harry Grant, Xavier Coates – as well as possible debutants Stefano Utoikamanu and Ryan Papenhuyzen – into the mix, and the battle between blue and maroon has a decidedly purple tinge to it.
Craig Bellamy and Laurie Daley in NSW Origin camp in 2010.Credit: Andy Zakeli
“In the NFL, they talk a lot about the coaching tree,” said Ryan Hoffman, a former Storm player and staffer who represented NSW on 14 occasions between 2007-2015.
“They talk about coaching legacy with the likes of Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick and the amount of coaches they have coached who have gone on to be head coaches.
“That’s a big legacy for Craig. You go through it and David Kidwell was also the assistant coach of Argentina, Jason Ryles was an assistant coach for a period with England rugby union. It’s spread far and wide.
“It shows what Craig does, and his greatest attribute is he has a lot of care for people under him, whether they are coaches or players. For people who work hard under him, there are some great rewards and we’ve seen them come through the Storm system.”
In a nod to how well Origin is received in Victoria, Melbourne has become one of the few destinations outside the heartland states to be given hosting status. In recent series, there has been talk of the NSW side being “Pantherised” due to the plethora of players selected from the reigning premiers. However, no club will have more influence on the result than the one based in Victoria.
“We are extremely proud to have so many representatives involved in both the NSW and QLD programs, on and off the field, which is a great reflection on the people we have at our club” said Storm CEO Justin Rodski.
Bellamy was at the helm of NSW for three years, between 2008-10, but has yet to taste a series victory.
“It’s great Craig agreed to do it because he might have felt his Origin days were done with his involvement with the Storm,” Hoffman said.
“With the way it has come up with the byes [the Storm have most of their breaks during the interstate series], I’m going to use a shocking pun and say it’s almost a perfect storm to be back in the Origin frame.”
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