CRAIG Bellamy is not one for games, nor does he do anything in half measures.
The Melbourne Storm's ruthless, direct and methodical style of play is a reflection of both his coaching philosophy and personality. So when he interrupts some rare down time to admit he is seriously considering leaving the Storm at season's end, it should be enough to have officials down south more than a little concerned.
While Bellamy would not confirm the identity of the club in question, it is believed the Dragons have put together a five-year offer worth more than $1.2 million annually.
The massive figures being touted are clearly not out of the Dragons' reach as Bellamy's mentor, Wayne Bennett, the Dragons' former coach, recently revealed the club's offer to retain him in fact topped the multi-million-dollar contract that lured him to Newcastle last year.
"I will treat it seriously and I hope to make a decision soon," Bellamy told The Australian.
"The Storm has been very good to me but I am 50-50 in my thinking as this will probably be my last contract."
Bellamy, 54, said he never had the chance to take seriously the deal tabled to him by the New Zealand Warriors in October due to the time constraints the club was working within.
"They wanted a coach straight away," he said. "They didn't want to wait that long (until 2014) so I would have looked at it seriously if they'd given me the chance."
Bellamy said he hoped to make a decision by the end of next month, or at least by February 12 when Melbourne leaves for Britain to play Leeds in the World Club Challenge final at Headingley, desperate not to allow it to distract his players.
While none of his senior players had contacted him yesterday with any concerns about his possible departure from AAMI Park, the thought of leaving his "big three" of Cameron Smith, Billy Slater and Cooper Cronk is undoubtedly a major consideration for the fiercely loyal coach.
"I wouldn't like to coach against Cam Smith," he admitted before this year's grand final.
"I tried coaching against him (at Origin level) and I know who lost there. Cam might go somewhere else, but I couldn't coach against him."
Ben Ikin, a close friend and a former charge during Bellamy's time in Brisbane, said the prospect of plotting against players he had nurtured for a decade would be a major hurdle for Bellamy.
"But in the end Craig has to do the best thing for him and his family and no one at the Storm, or in rugby league for that matter, could begrudge him doing that after what he has done since he moved to Melbourne," Ikin said.
"What he has done for rugby league in his time as Storm coach cannot be overstated."
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