Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy has been diagnosed with an unspecified neurodegenerative disorder but will remain as coach of the NRL club in the immediate future, the club has announced.
The club issued a statement 24 hours before Melbourne's NRL clash with the Dolphins in Brisbane, revealing that the 66-year-old Bellamy recently underwent a series of medical tests.
Medical Diagnosis and Immediate Future
"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 club said in a statement on Thursday. "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."
Neurodegenerative disorders include Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, and Motor Neurone Disease (MND).
Health and Injury Woes at the Storm
Melbourne has faced a challenging run of health and injury issues since their grand final loss to Brisbane in 2025. Eli Katoa underwent surgery to stop a brain bleed last November after a series of head knocks and is ruled out for the entire 2026 NRL season. Fellow Storm forward Tui Kamikamica is also sidelined after suffering a stroke last month and undergoing brain and heart surgery.
In February, Bellamy signed a new contract through until the end of the 2028 season. The grandfather of four works alongside his assistant coach son Aaron at the club. Bellamy has coached 614 NRL games, trailing only Wayne Bennett and retired Tim Sheens, and boasts a win rate of nearly 70 percent. He also played 150 matches for Canberra.
Storm's Difficult Season
The Storm are enduring a horror season, dropping six consecutive matches for the first time since Bellamy took over as coach in 2003. A seventh-straight loss in Brisbane would equal the all-time club record set in 2002. The usual title heavyweights sit second-last on the NRL ladder, having won only two games.
Melbourne chair Matt Tripp expressed confidence in Bellamy's ability to continue coaching at an elite level. "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 skipper Harry Grant defended his coach following their loss last round against South Sydney when Bellamy was asked if he still had the "buy in" of his team. "Yeah he does, that's a silly question. You don't need to ask him that," Grant said. "He's a modest guy and he's probably going to look to himself for these results, but at the end of the day no one works harder than Craig. You come into the club every morning and he's in here working."
