Storm coach Craig Bellamy lauds 'underrated' achievement as blockbuster finals matchup looms

Kieran Francis

Storm coach Craig Bellamy lauds 'underrated' achievement as blockbuster finals matchup looms image

Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy believes the NRL minor premiership is underrated as his team wrapped up the honour with two games to play.

The Storm sealed top spot with two rounds remaining after a 48-6 thrashing of the Dolphins at AAMI Park on Saturday night.

It is the sixth time Melbourne has secured the minor premiership in its 27-year existence - as a possible blockbuster qualifying final against Penrith Panthers looms.

MORE: Who will play NRL finals in 2024? Dates, fixtures and results for top-eight race

Bellamy praises 'underrated' achievement for Storm

Bellamy, who was the coach in all six of Storm's minor premiership wins in 2011, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2021 and 2024, believes finishing top of the NRL standings is understated.

"For me, it’s a pretty big thing. I think the minor premiership is a little understated or underrated," Bellamy said after securing the minor premiership.

"If you look at it in a real simplistic way in that to be the minor premiers you’ve got to have more wins than anybody else so you’ve got to be the best team for 27 weeks.

"But to be the competition winner, you’ve probably only need to be the best team for four weeks — you need to obviously get there (first)."

However, with a first-week finals clash against arch-rivals Panthers looking a distinct possibility, Bellamy stated no one would remember the minor premiership once attention turned to finals.

"I think (the minor premiership is) a little bit underrated, understated... but having said that by Tuesday everyone would have forgotten who won the minor premiership," he said.

Storm-Panthers blockbuster looms in finals

After the Panthers' shock defeat to Canberra on Saturday night, the Mountain Men have slipped to fourth on the ladder with one round of the regular season to play.

If Penrith remain in fourth at the conclusion of the season, a blockbuster first week qualifying final against Storm at AAMI Park will be locked in.

Both teams have forged an intense finals rivalry with the Storm defeating the Panthers in the 2020 NRL grand final, with Penrith gaining plenty of revenge in recent years.

In their 2021 and 2023 premiership wins, Penrith defeated the Storm in the preliminary final.

Kieran Francis

Kieran Francis Photo

Kieran Francis is a senior editor at The Sporting News based in Melbourne, Australia. He started at Sportal.com.au before being a part of the transition to Sporting News in 2015. Just prior to the 2018 World Cup, he was appointed chief editor of Goal.com in Australia. He has now returned to The Sporting News where his passions lay in football, AFL, poker and cricket - when he is not on holiday.