Craig Bellamy’s fury in the coach’s box, according to Raiders coach Ricky Stuart, is even worse than his own, and the Storm boss’s famed dummy spits make him look like a ‘d**khead’ on TV.
Stuart and Bellamy are two of the NRL’s longest-serving coaches, and despite their heated rivalry on the field, the two have always remained friends since playing together at Canberra.
Both are infamous for their venomous halftime sprays and massive blow-ups in the coach’s box, but Stuart believes he isn’t as terrible as ‘Bellyache.’
‘I sit back and laugh at him over and over. Then I sit back and realize they’re probably all laughing at me as well.’
In 2007, Bellamy’s outbursts were so bad that the NSW Country Rugby League built a separate chamber around him for a City-Country match in Coffs Harbour.
Tim Sheens, his counterpart, was permitted to sit on the sideline bench.
Stuart describes most other coaches as “enemies and rivals,” therefore playing against Bellamy is difficult.
‘It’s difficult coaching against Craig. We’re great friends, and while this is a challenging assignment, we both understand the professional aspect of it.
‘After 80 minutes, we have a beer and proceed.’
For years, Stuart and Bellamy have had the same post-game ritual everytime they play each other. The victorious coach will bring a few beers into the losing coach’s private sanctum and the two will discuss the game.
The Raiders coach revealed that he had fallen out of love with the game a few years ago, but that he had since rediscovered it.
