Melbourne Storm manager Craig Bellamy criticized his team, admitting that efforts were not enough in a 26-12 loss to the Canterbury Bulldogs on Saturday night.
Down 16-0 at halftime, Bellamy burned out at halftime after his team without Cameron Munster fell into a heap.
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Storm is clearly going through a transition period after losing strikers like the Bromwich brothers and Felize Caufusi to the Dolphins, but also has a growing list of injuries.
At half-time, Storm’s former half Cooper Cronk said that Bellamy had every right to be angry.
“That’s why Craig Bellamy blows up luxury because for the first time in a long time they didn’t give too much in this half and 31 missed tackles in 40 minutes of football,” Cronk said.
“I was there and heard it and the Melbourne Storm players will react because when these people tell you that you are not putting enough socks on, they will let you know and he will not miss.
“The fact that they can come to their first home game of the year and play the first 40 minutes.
“Craig Bellamy has gone nuclear and there will be an answer in the second half.”
Michael Ennis called the performance “not like Melbourne”.
But already 10 minutes after the start of the second half, the Bulldogs lost with a score of 26:0.
Although Storm responded with two consolation attempts, it was never enough, and it probably flattered the score.
At the Storm press conference, Bellamy criticized the performance.
“The lack of effort (disappointed me the most),” Bellamy said. “It was really bad, that’s what we’re proud of here. At the beginning of the game, they were much more enthusiastic than us. They fought harder, they did everything better than us. We were within a mile of some areas of our efforts. I didn’t foresee this.”
Bellamy wouldn’t take the injuries as an excuse.
He was also unhappy that the side stopped the flow at the end, saying “it was a little late”.
“We were 180 degrees from how they were defending, but we just lost control,” Bellamy said.
“We got what we deserved. It could have been 40 when it was 26, so we have a whole bunch of work to do.
“We have to show a little pride in our jersey, show a little pride in what we are meant to be as a football team, and also a little pride in being here at home.
“When someone misses a chance, someone else gets a chance, so we just want these guys to take the chance and not sit back and hope the other guys do their job tonight. But tonight it was all over the place, it wasn’t just our young guys, or our middle-aged guys, or our most experienced guys, it was all of them.”
He said Nelson Asof-Solomon also suffered a medial knee injury and expected him to be out for several weeks.
Captain Christian Welch said he didn’t know why the side didn’t put in the effort the NRL expects from the Storm.
“It’s just very disappointing in the first home game,” Welch said. “Our members, they pay a lot of money to come to these games and cook them, it’s really disappointing.”
The Bulldogs’ victory ended a seven-game losing streak against the Storm with a runaway 26–12 away win.
Melbourne missed a huge 31 tackles in the first half alone, which was the subject of an infamous night when the Bulldogs’ quick backcourt feet, including defender Hayes Perham and winger Jacob Kiraz, created crash after crash in a massive first win for the new Canterbury manager. Cameron Chiraldo.
A late second-half draw from Melbourne created a frantic final few minutes, but only helped the home side avoid the kind of blow they were used to throwing at their much-improved opponents, who were 26-0 up after 50 minutes of play.
The Bulldogs suffered their biggest loss in the first round, leaving a team bolstered by significant offseason signings with few questions left.
Bulldogs prostitute Reed Mahoney excelled in a game dominated by patrons who came in with a complete game plan and executed it.
“We want to play every game, play to win,” said Bulldog publicist Addo Carr.
“Keep supporting our defense, support our efforts by really playing for each other.”
Melbourne’s defeat was their third in a row at AAMI Park and their fourth in five games last season.
Once unbeaten at their home ground, the defeat also marked the Storm’s biggest in Melbourne as they lost 22-6 to Canberra in the 2020 3rd round.
Storm didn’t score their first try until the 50th minute of the game and their 12 points were the lowest in a game since the same night against the Raiders.
With NCA News Feed
Originally published as Storm Coach Craig Bellamy ‘Goes Crazy’ In Shock Beating