Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy said he feared players would leave the NRL’s biosecurity bubble and return home earlier this season as personal circumstances became complicated.
The Storm have been based in on the Sunshine Coast for five months but were originally told it could be for as little as two and a half weeks, with some packing only enough clothes and supplies to last a fortnight.
The situation became difficult for players and staff with pregnant partners or family members who are ill and Bellamy thought it could be too much for some.
But the fact that they didn’t leave – instead, they persevered through the most difficult NRL season on record – puts Sunday night’s premiership win at the top of Melbourne’s achievements for Bellamy.
“For what our guys have been through and what their families have been through I would put that up the top of grand final wins that we’ve had,” the Storm coach said.
“I always thought 2012 was probably the special one after what happened in 2010, but this year… there’s been some circumstances and situations where I thought some of the guys might have just wanted to pack up and go home.
“Especially the ones that haven’t had their families in the bubble.
“But they haven’t. They stuck through some difficult circumstances at times and the other big thing has been the support of the families.
“They have hardly complained about anything. Living in that bubble they’re away from home, it’s difficult.”
It’s the second NRL premiership in four years for the Storm but their most courageous.
They went through the entire season without a home crowd after playing the first two games in Sydney and round three and four at AAMI Park without a crowd before moving to Queensland.
Skipper Cameron Smith said that while there are people around the world suffering a lot worse, he’s proud of what the team has overcome to win the competition.
“Along the way there was probably a handful [of players] that at times struggled, and that’s understandable given the situation that we were in,” he said.
“Never, ever in our lifetime have we ever gone through anything like this or have been asked to do anything like this.
“We understood what we had to do and the reasons for it and we wanted this competition to continue and that’s why we made the move.
“That’s why this is a special group because at times there was challenges and struggles and everyone helped everyone out through those tough times.”
Source:: SportsNews
