EXCLUSIVE: Craig Bellamy Left Stunned by Ruthless Billy Slater Prank Amid Salary Cap Controversy

“That entire year felt like a rollercoaster, but that moment marked one of the most significant lows of the ride for me.”

Craig Bellamy reflects on the notorious Melbourne Storm salary cap scandal of 2010, nearly 15 years later.

However, the seasoned coach, who has been exonerated of any involvement in the wrongdoing, isn’t talking about the moment he was pulled from the training field and ushered into the office of the then-CEO to learn of the shocking salary cap violations.

Instead, he recalls the startling instance when legendary fullback Billy Slater stood before the entire team and said, “I think it’s time for you to go, mate.”

“I felt as though my stomach dropped,” Bellamy shares in an upcoming documentary premiering on Stan this Sunday.

The Stan original documentary Revealed: Craig Bellamy – Inside the Storm debuts on Sunday, March 9, exclusively on Stan.

The coach, affectionately dubbed “Bellyache,” reflects on Slater’s comment with laughter and a deep sense of relief, grateful that it was all just a prank.

“Cameron Smith and the other players started laughing, so I realised they were just having a joke,” Bellamy recalls, a smile creeping onto his face.

On April 22, 2010, the NRL’s then-chief executive, David Gallop, revealed that the Storm had been stripped of two premierships and three minor titles, had lost all competition points accrued that season, and would not be able to earn additional points for the rest of the year—this was only six rounds into the season.

In the weeks that followed, some days saw Bellamy and his players meandering onto the training field, while other days, sessions were entirely cancelled.

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Not one to shy away from hard work, Bellamy, who hails from the working-class town of Portland in New South Wales, was always driven by a formidable work ethic. He played for the Oberon Tigers and other local teams before donning the jersey for the Canberra Raiders, building a career based on grit rather than raw talent.

Faced with the challenges of the salary cap saga, Bellamy spoke candidly to his squad.

“I was committed to maintaining our training regimen and meetings, but I thought to myself, ‘If they’re not on board… perhaps I should reconsider my position,'” Bellamy expressed to Wide World of Sports.

After sharing his candid thoughts with his players, he allowed them 10-15 minutes to consider the situation.

Enter Slater’s brilliantly orchestrated prank, which was met with an explosion of laughter after those initial awkward moments.

“I definitely didn’t see that coming, especially from Billy,” Bellamy chuckles.

“But I felt a wave of relief as soon as they all started laughing.”

The NRL’s investigation concluded that Melbourne had improperly claimed an astonishing $3.7 million in salary cap violations over a span of five years.

Brian Waldron, the then-CEO, received a lifetime ban from rugby league, with a Storm insider dubbing him the “chief rat” in 2010.

The Storm faced severe penalties, including the loss of titles and minor premierships, as well as a hefty $500,000 fine, and a mandatory return of $1.1 million in prize money.

The club suffered a loss of sponsorships, and there were real concerns about its future.

This monumental salary cap breach, the largest in Australian sporting history, also tarnished the reputations of Bellamy and his players.

“The whole situation was incredibly challenging for the club, particularly for the players,” Bellamy recalls.

“Their competitive spirits were high, yet they were told they couldn’t play for points, despite not having done anything wrong. It was difficult to process.”

“That period was undoubtedly one of the toughest in my coaching career, but it was also a personal trial to endure.”

“For those players, having no opportunity to contend for what they were striving for – a championship – was incredibly hard.”

Showcasing remarkable resilience, the Storm managed to secure 10 wins out of the 18 games they competed in during the fallout of the scandal.

They went on to clinch the minor premiership in 2011 and celebrated grand final victory in 2012.

Since then, the Storm have consistently posed a significant threat for the title, achieving the ultimate success again in 2017 and 2020.

This Sunday, Bellamy will lead his 580th game in the NRL, joining only Wayne Bennett, Tim Sheens, and Brian Smith in coaching more matches in Australian first-grade football.

“We made it through,” Bellamy concludes, having been the target of countless player pranks ever since Slater’s infamous jest in 2010, “and I believe we’ve emerged stronger as a result.”