‘Trouble’: Bellamy’s grim reply to burning finals question
It was put to Craig Bellamy after Friday night’s loss to South Sydney that Melbourne remained “mathematically a chance” to qualify for finals football.
The Storm coach replied with a smirk.
Craig Bellamy and Josh King speak to the press after Friday night’s loss. Nine.
“Using that word ‘mathematically’, you’re in trouble,” Bellamy said.
The Storm remain two wins outside the top eight after going down 28-26 in a seesawing thriller at Accor Stadium.
If North Queensland beat Brisbane in Townsville on Saturday night, Melbourne will drop to three wins outside the top eight.
Five games and a bye await Melbourne, who have only failed to reach finals football once since Bellamy arrived in 2003. That was in 2010, when the Storm had their premiership points stripped because of the salary cap rort.
Melbourne’s woes are compounded by the loss of captain and champion hooker Harry Grant, who suffered a seemingly bad hamstring injury on Friday night.
“With complete honesty, I haven’t sat down, had a look at it [the ladder] and worked out if we win this or win that, or if they lose this or whatever, [what will happen]. I just haven’t looked at that,” Bellamy added.
“All I’m concerned about is what we’re doing this week, reviewing that [game against South Sydney], and then what we’re doing next week. So, it’ll be what it’ll be.
“I don’t know whether we can still make it, but I imagine some of it will depend on other results. We’re not in control of that, so we’re not going to concern ourselves with it.
“We just need to start defending better – that’s all it comes down to. And then, if we do make it or we don’t make it, so be it. But that’s the area we’re going to look at now.”
Melbourne will face Canterbury and Manly in their next two games.
They will then have a bye, before finishing their regular-season campaign against Penrith, Brisbane and Cronulla.
