Craig Bellamy confirms 2027 coaching role as NRL Friday night double-header kicks off

Legendary Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy says he will still be at the helm in 2027, likely his final season, while Friday night features Warriors-Panthers and Roosters-Bulldogs clashes.

Melbourne Storm’s iconic coach Craig Bellamy confirmed he will remain in charge for the 2027 NRL season, describing it as potentially his 25th and final year after a recent diagnosis of a neurodegenerative disorder. While he would like five-eighth Cameron Munster to finish his career at the Storm, Bellamy said he will back any decision the player makes about his future. The news was delivered in Perth before the club’s upcoming clash with Manly, a game that also saw Munster cleared to play after knee surgery.

Friday night’s schedule features a top-three showdown as the New Zealand Warriors host ladder-leaders Penrith Panthers in Auckland, and the second-placed Sydney Roosters meet the in-form Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. Both fixtures carry significant implications for finals positioning, with Melbourne currently sitting 12th and likely missing the playoffs. Manly remain in contention but have lost forward Kobe Hetherington to a season-ending pectoral tear.