Craig Bellamy Admits Storm’s Defensive Struggles Are a Concern
Craig Bellamy has openly admitted that his team, the Melbourne Storm, may as well have gone to the pub instead of focusing on defense during the week after another embarrassing performance against the Warriors. The loss was particularly painful, with the Warriors scoring 38 points against last year’s grand finalists. This result is a clear indication that something needs to change at the club.
The Storm conceded 50 points in the previous match against Penrith, and the Warriors added another 38 in this game. Overall, the team missed 32 tackles throughout the match, an unusual number for a team that is usually considered a powerhouse in the competition.
Bellamy acknowledged the team’s defensive issues post-match, saying, “We did a lot of work on our defence this week and may as well went to the pub and had a couple of beers.” This admission highlights the team’s struggles and the need for improvement.
This loss marks the fourth consecutive defeat for the Storm, following losses against Brisbane, the Cowboys, and the Panthers before facing the Warriors. Bellamy’s current situation is uncharted territory, with the club sitting 13th after six matches. If the Eels beat the Titans on Sunday afternoon, the Storm could drop to 14th place.
After the Warriors’ result, Bellamy wasn’t willing to place all the blame on the players. He stated, “There’s a lot of things going wrong so at the end of the day we’ve got to have a good hard look at ourselves.” He emphasized that it’s not just the players’ fault but also the coaching staff’s responsibility. “It’s some of the stuff we’re doing in our preparation as coaches or me as a coach, we’ve got to be part of it too,” he said.
Bellamy suggested that the team might need to make some changes. “We’re probably similar to what we’ve been doing the last five or six years so perhaps we need a bit of a change up in a couple of things. The last couple of weeks have been hugely disappointing so hopefully we can get to the bottom of it.”
Performance Metrics Highlight Team Struggles
Alongside the missed tackle count, the Storm completed 78% of their sets, compared to the Warriors’ 90%. The team also made 10 errors, while the Warriors made 9. Additionally, the Storm conceded seven ruck infringements, which added to the growing list of errors and penalties.
Captain Harry Grant described some of these mistakes as “dumb and avoidable.” He said, “It’s certainly become part of our game and every team will go through it, ideally you don’t want it.” Grant emphasized the need for improvement, stating, “Individually and as a team we’ve got to be better in certain areas to fix those penalties and errors, especially if they’re dumb and avoidable.”
He also highlighted the importance of being grittier in defense. “But we’ve got to be grittier to defend those, you’re not going to go through a game not giving away a penalty or six again.”
Looking Ahead
With the 2026 NRL season underway, fans are eagerly watching how the Storm will respond to these challenges. The team will need to regroup quickly and address the issues that have plagued them recently. As Bellamy and his coaching staff take a hard look at their strategies, the focus will be on making necessary adjustments to turn their fortunes around.
