Storm coach Craig Bellamy diagnosed with neurodegenerative disorder

Multiple grand final winning Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy has been diagnosed with a form of neurodegenerative disorder after undergoing health tests.

The club revealed the 66-year-old’s health battle in a statement on Thursday night.

“Over recent weeks, in consultation with specialists, Craig has undergone a series of medical tests and has since been diagnosed with a form of neurodegenerative disorder,” the Storm said.

“He is receiving the best possible medical treatment and has been advised by specialists that his diagnosis will not have an impact on his ability to coach the team in the immediate future.”

The news comes less than three months after Melbourne announced Bellamy had signed a contract extension that would keep him at the club until the end of the 2028 season. He has been in charge at the Storm since 2003.

The perennial competition powerhouses have suffered a rare slide this season and enter round nine in second-last place on the NRL ladder, having won only two games.

Bellamy, though, continues to have the backing of Storm co-owner and chairman Matt Tripp.

“Despite our recent results, I firmly believe Craig is still coaching at an elite level and I have no doubt he is the right person to drive the club forward,” Tripp said. “Craig has the full support of the board, players, coaches, and staff to continue leading the club as he has done for the last 24 seasons.”

Melbourne said that due to the private nature of the diagnosis, Bellamy and the club would make no further comment.

Bellamy’s diagnosis the latest of several serious health issues to impact key personnel at the Storm.

Front-rower Tui Kamikamica is recovering from a stroke which required him to be rushed to hospital this month, although he is remarkably seeking to return to the field in as little as six weeks’ time.

Fellow forward Eliesa Katoa is sitting out the season due to head knocks sustained while representing Tonga against New Zealand at Eden Park last December.

Bellamy himself had a distinguished playing career before turning to coaching, making 150 appearance for Canberra in the old NSWRL competition between 1982 and 1992, including coming off the bench in the Raiders’ 1990 grand final victory over Penrith.

Regarded as one of the greatest coaches in the game’s history, he has overseen a period of incredible success at Melbourne.

The Storm have played in 11 grand finals since he took over, winning five of them, although the 2007 and 2009 titles were stripped by the NRL due to the club’s salary cap cheating.

During his more than two decades in the job, Bellamy has steered the careers of some of the code’s best-ever players, among them Cameron Smith, Billy Slater and Greg Inglis.

He has also coached the NSW State of Origin team and was last year an advisor to current Blues coach Laurie Daley.

He is not taking up that role for this year’s interstate series against Queensland.

Bellamy began his coaching career on the staff of Wayne Bennett at the Brisbane Broncos.

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