Players blocks Origin schedule change

Queensland celebrate their State of Origin win after beating the NSW Blues in Game 3 at ANZ Stadium. Source: News Limited

PLAYER power has ruled supreme with the game's elite rejecting moves to shorten the 2014 State of Origin schedule because of concerns about their physical and mental well-being.

NRL head of football Todd Greenberg wanted to reduce the length of the Origin series for 2014 but hit a brick wall when he put the proposal to the Rugby League Players Association.

Fear of a physical and psychological burnout by reducing the gap between each Origin game by one week forced the NRL to abandon any plans to change the formula for next season.

"It was the players themselves that came back to us and said we preferred the current model in terms of the eight-week window rather than condensing it down," NRL general manager of football operations Nathan McGuirk said.

A dejected Mitchell Pearce after NSW lose Game 3 of the 2013 series. Source: News Limited

"The players were concerned about the quick back up within camps by reducing that time period.

"We heeded those calls and we said we will happily sit down with players during this season and try and work on what options are available that meet their needs."

RLPA chief executive David Garnsey said players were keen to consider other scheduling options but were never given the chance to enter into a proper discussion.

"Having consulted with the Origin players their concerns about reducing the Origin period centred on the physical and psychological toll taken by State of Origin football and the inadequate recovery time that would result from a condensed Series schedule," Garnsey said.

"But even with those concerns the proposed schedule change was not rejected out-of-hand, rather we proposed a 'round table' discussion involving all stakeholders that would consider Origin scheduling options and address the Players' issues.

"We're not aware what the reaction was from other parties (broadcasters, clubs etc) but in any event the NRL opted to shelve the idea for 2014."

The NRL yesterday confirmed the Origin dates for 2014 starting with Game One in Brisbane on May 28, with Game Two in Sydney on June 18 and Game Three in Brisbane on July 9.

The series will be identical in length to 2013 and run over six weeks and affect eight NRL competition rounds.

Josh Dugan in action for the NSW Blues in Game 3 of the 2013 Origin series. Source: News Limited

Player burnout had been a hot topic of discussion this year with NRL coaches furious at Origin impacting on one third of the regular season but also wary about player workloads.

As it stands the 2014 NRL schedule will be released just a few hours after Australia's World Cup team returns to the country.

The Test stars will not resume club duties until January, but will be back on the playing field by February for the new Auckland Nines tournament just 11 weeks after the World Cup final.

Maroons coach Mal Meninga agreed the competition schedule was too exhausting for the players and needed to be addressed.

"It's something the game needs to look at closely, it needs to be rectified and we need to come up with a plan about player welfare and the amount of games they play in the scheduling," Meninga said.

Queensland fans are urged to purchase memberships for priority access to next year's Origin games while tickets for the Sydney clash go on sale to the general public later this week.

Meninga said the Maroons were still concluding their planning for 2014 but with Queensland hosting two games for the first time since 2011 he knows they need to start the series firing.

"Game one is really important. It is every season but this year we have two at home and they (NSW) will be really working hard on getting game one and being successful up here that's for sure," he said.

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Jarryd Hayne central to Blues

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NSW coach Laurie Daley says Jarryd Hayne has "outgrown'' the wing and is poised to be named in the NSW centres for next year's State of Origin series.

The only problem is that Hayne regards himself as a fullback.

Playing Hayne at right centre to confront Queensland's Greg Inglis would allow Josh Dugan and Brett Stewart to fight for the vacant fullback spot.

Daley's comments come as the draw for next year's Origin series was released with the second game at Sydney's ANZ Stadium to be played on June 18. .

''Jarryd was very impressive at centre,'' Daley told The Daily Telegraph. ''He will be in the team somewhere and I think he has outgrown the wing.

''He can give us another option at centre and more depth. He played centre for Australia so he may well play centre for NSW.

Jarryd Hayne is tackled during the RLWC Final against New Zealand. Source: AFP

''I think we need him in a position where he can do a bit more. I was impressed how he handled centre ... the way he took a knock (in the final) and defended strongly.

''I think the best of Jarryd is still in front of him. As I said, he will be there somewhere.

''Blake Ferguson will be another option at centre if he is available, Josh Morris, Michael Jennings and maybe Hayne.''

Jarryd Hayne beats the Fiji defence to score a try during their RLWC clash. Source: AP

But Hayne still wants to return to the No. 1 jersey.

"I think that is what everyone is talking about (moving to centre) but for me I really enjoy fullback and that attacking side of that,'' Hayne said after the World Cup final.

''Being on the edge is one of those positions where you can have games where you don't really see the ball and you can have games where you see all the ball.

"It is not dictated by how good you play, it is dictated by the halves inside you.

"(At fullback) you get a lot more places to roam and you can sort of have a lot more impact on the game."

Despite criticism the series was too long, NRL officials decided to leave three-week gaps between games.

NRL officials wanted to retain the lengthy breaks between matches to ensure marquee games are not played with Origin stars unavailable.

"We obviously try to place byes strategically through that particular area of the season to help compensate teams that are heavily affected by State of Origin and its impact on clubs," said NRL general manager of football operations, Nathan McGuirk.

"So we obviously also try and reserve marquee events or match-ups from our stand down Origin rounds when our superstars aren't playing and reserve those for rounds outside that time period."

The representative weekend will be played on the weekend of May 2 to 4, with the traditional midyear Test between Australia and New Zealand played on the Friday night and City-Country - to be contested at Apex Oval, Dubbo - on Sunday.

The full NRL draw will be released tomorrow.

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Lucky George better for the run

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GEORGE Bailey may be Australia's lucky charm.

He played in a resounding win on debut after many of his team mates spent almost all year without success.

Australia's nine Tests without a victory is one of the worst sequences in this country's history so Bailey jokes he's a pretty popular bloke in the dressing room at the moment.

"They rub me," Bailey said with a broad smile.

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"That was pretty surreal," he said about the win. "It brought home how special it was."

It contrasted with another of Australia's late call-ups, Chris Rogers, who went six Tests without a win before basking in Brisbane's 381-run first Test triumph.

"I really enjoyed the week," Bailey said of his first as a Test cricketer.

"It was a fantastic result and particularly seeing how hard those guys had worked for so many months without a Test win, to see the happiness and to be part of that was pretty special.

"It would have been nice to get a couple more runs in the first innings. Hopefully I'm like a race horse, better for the run."

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Bailey reinforced what many who watch Test cricket already believe that overrates could easily be improved, given Sheffield Shield sides must bowl 96 overs, compared to a Test match's 90 in a day.

"The hardest thing I found, certainly in the first innings, was the tempo of the game," said Bailey

"It sounds a little bit silly but it goes a bit slower than coming up from Sheffield Shield.

"It felt like it was longer between overs and longer between balls and having spent a bit of time at short leg looking at how the other guys take their time between balls and take their time to face up that was the big learning curve for me, getting the tempo right."

At 31 Bailey is the oldest Australian batsman to debut for 34 years and after a poor first innings his second innings cameo of 34 included more sixes (2) than fours (1).

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Following on from centurions David Warner and Michael Clarke, Bailey continued what seemed the obvious tactic of murdering spinner Graeme Swann, one of England's most pivotal bowlers, but he claimed the plan was broader than that.

"We certainly wanted to keep bringing their best bowlers back into the game and try and tire them out. That worked," he said.

"Whether that's the same here, it might turn a bit more and reverse swing can play a part here.

"If they happen to be doing that (reverse swing) well and Swannie is trying to tie up one end then it's probably the best option to try and keep the scoreboard ticking along."

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Bellamy learns off NBA visit

Craig Bellamy and Frank Ponissi in the US. Source: News Limited

A MEETING with NBA coaching legend Pat Riley - who charges up to $75,000 for a speaking engagement - has Melbourne Storm mentor Craig Bellamy bursting with new ideas as he attempts to keep his side in the upper echelon of the NRL.

Bellamy and football manager Frank Ponissi have returned from a two-week fact-finding trip to the United States, in which they spent time with the NFL's Miami Dolphins, the all-conquering Miami Heat NBA franchise and the famed University of Notre Dame.

There were many highlights, but a 45-minute sit down with Riley - the president of the Heat and five-time NBA championship-winning coach - stood out for Bellamy.

Miami Heat's LeBron James shoots a free throw during a game against the Charlotte Bobcats. Source: AFP

"To be quite honest, that time with Pat was probably worth the whole trip on its own," he said.

"He was very intriguing with his insights on coaching and how a club should run.

"He was very open and honest and we found him to be a really personable guy."

Bellamy and Ponissi attended an NBA game between the Heat and the Dallas Mavericks in Miami.

Watching LeBron James in action was an experience, but it did not compare with the rare opportunity to trade coaching secrets with Riley.

The chance to pick the brain of one of the greatest NBA coaches in history left the two Storm head honchos mesmerised.

"He had some mentalities and philosophies on coaching players and he shared them with us, which was great," Bellamy said.

"He also had some very good ideas on running the club.

"And we found a lot of philosophies were things that we really believed in as well.

The Miami Dolphins prepare to take the field during a game against the Carolina Panthers. Source: AFP

"So it was nice to hear some of our own ideas reinforced by a guy like him."

The Storm pair were granted an all access pass at the Dolphins, which included joining the club on a trip to Tampa Bay for the clash against the Buccaneers.

They were blown away by the military-like precision of the road trip.

"They had 20 coaches and 50 some players on their roster," he said.

"There is a lot of people there so it feels big - everything in America is done big.

"They were very welcoming and opened the doors up to us."

Bellamy and Ponissi made a presentation to the Storm staff last week on their findings from the trip.

He said the insights gained would help Storm next season and the way they operate.

"There was a lot of things that we picked up that we think we can incorporate into our program," he said.

"There were a couple little things for each department that we picked up.

"They were very generous with their time and opened up their doors to us."

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Buzz: World Cup horror show

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Rugby league is a tough enough body-contact sport without subjecting our players to the dangerous conditions of Old Trafford at the World Cup final.

Whoever was in charge of the Kangaroo touring party should never have allowed the game to start without protective padding in the in-goal areas.

It's an absolute miracle no one was seriously hurt or even killed.

BLOG WITH BUZZ ALL DAY MONDAY

Brett Morris lies injured after crashing into the advertising signs after scoring a try. Source: Getty Images

When 100kg footballers are competing at high speed for the football in the in-goal areas, anything can happen.

We're talking head and brain injuries or broken arms and legs. Brett Morris and Manu Vatuvei had lucky escapes.

I rarely agree with Phil Gould but his comments on Twitter in the early hours of Sunday morning pretty much summed it up.

"Absolute disgrace playing this level of rugby league on a field this small. Absolute disgrace. Terribly dangerous.

"Whoever responsible for approving ground and those in-goals should be sacked immediately. Typical RL management. Zero care for player welfare."

The NRL had its most senior leaders at the game. At great cost to the sport, Dave Smith, John Grant, Todd Greenberg and Andrew Hill were all there.

Flying business class of course and staying in the top hotels and watching from corporate suites.

These men are in charge of not just the NRL but the ARL under the game's new management structure.

The fact none of them acted on the situation is just appalling.

They not only have an obligation to protect the players but also the clubs that pay the stars millions of dollars in salaries.

Luke Lewis dislocated his shoulder when he crashed into an advertising sign at Langtree Park in St Helens. Source: Supplied

Player safety has to be the number one concern every time these gladiators take the field.

Could you imagine the consequences for a struggling club like the Parramatta Eels if their superstar Jarryd Hayne had broken his leg, shoulder or arm.

Their whole season is over. It affects their crowds, their membership and their sponsors.

Imagine the Roosters losing Sonny Bill Williams for half the year, or the Rabbitohs losing Greg Inglis.

Imagine if SBW got injured and the millions he could lose from not having an off-season fight.

The Sharks have already lost Luke Lewis for half the season over an in-goal injury from earlier in the tour.

It's time the 16 clubs stood up to the NRL and International Board.

Not just in World Cups but in State of Origin and all representative games.

They need to properly compensated when their superstars are injured while "on loan" to the head body.

And they need an assurance that their players will have safe working conditions like any other form of employment in this country.

Parra might finally take off if Hayne plane keeps cruising

MY highlight of the entire World Cup was Jarryd Hayne's sensational form for the Kangaroos.

Johnathan Thurston won man-of-the-match but my choice was the Eels superstar.

We haven't seen him play anywhere near as consistently or brilliantly since he won the Dally M award in 2009.

It's fabulous news for Parramatta who, with an in-form Hayne and the addition of Will Hopoate, should climb off the bottom of the ladder next year.

Jarryd Hayne breaks away from Bryson Goodwin to set up a try scored for Brett Morris. Source: Getty Images

Broncos can't have it both ways

They signed superstar fullback Ben Barba because he was unhappy at the Bulldogs.

They tried to sign boom rookie Anthony Milford because he's apparently unhappy at the Raiders.

It didn't matter that Barba had a contract at Canterbury and Milford still has one year to go at Canberra.

At the same time one of their own players, Josh Hoffman, says he's unhappy and wants out.

The Broncos says he can't go and threaten to relegate him to QLD Cup rather than release him to the Bulldogs.

Josh Hoffman poses with Bulldogs players at the Rugby League World Cup. Source: Twitter

This is a contract squabble that will require the NRL to step in.

There is huge concern in the game about the Broncos talking to under-contract players.

It's time for Dave Smith to put a stop their very questionable recruitment methods.

HIGHLIGHT

A crowd of 74,468 at the World Cup final without even the host country on show. Take three weeks of blowouts out of the tournament and it's a winner.

The players line up prior to the Rugby League World Cup Final at Old Trafford. Source: Getty Images

HIGHLIGHT II

The speedy weekend recovery of glamour jockey Kathy O'Hara from her fall at Randwick on Friday. She is one tough woman.

LOWLIGHT

The fact the World Cup final was never an edge-of-your-seat contest. The Kiwis played their grand final the week before.

The Australians played with State of Origin intensity, something the Kiwis never get to experience.

YOU BE THE JUDGE

Can someone please explain the judging format of the official International Rugby league awards that allowed Danny Brough to be named five-eighth of the year ahead of Johnathan Thurston.

One word: farce.

Johnathan Thurston keeps Issac Luke of New Zealand at arms length during the Rugby League World Cup Final. Source: Getty Images

FRANKLY, I WAS WRONG

Six weeks ago I reported Frank Farina's job was on the line at Sydney FC. This is one case where it's nice to be proven wrong. He is a good man and has done a sensational job to get four wins in a row

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Kearney undecided on future

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Stephen Kearney says he will take some time to think about whether he wants to continue as Kiwis coach in the aftermath of their heavy defeat to Australia in today's World Cup final.

Kearney said in June he wanted to continue beyond the World Cup, saying he didn't want to step away from the progress they had made and that the "journey is just beginning", but said yesterday he was undecided after his side's 34-2 defeat at Old Trafford.

"It is probably a bit raw for me at the moment," he said. "I will go home and have a good think about it, do a bit of reflecting. It has been five years at the helm, so I need to have a bit of a think and just see."

Kearney took over in 2008 and, with the help of Wayne Bennett, soon orchestrated New Zealand's first world title but his side were comprehensively outplayed today by a relentless Kangaroos outfit at the peak of their powers.

Stephen Kearney consols Sonny Bill Williams after the Kiwi lost in the RLWC final to Australia. Source: Getty Images

The Kiwis have enjoyed some good success under Kearney's watch - they added the 2010 Four Nations title to the 2008 World Cup - but they have won only two games against Australia in that time and were poor in both the 2009 and 2011 Four Nations campaigns.

It's likely the NZRL will want Kearney, who is also Broncos assistant coach, to continue. At 41, he is still a young coach but with plenty of NRL experience, and there aren't many viable alternatives. He also has the overwhelming support of the players.

"I can't throw my support behind Steve enough," five-eighth and vice-captain Kieran Foran said. "I think he's done a tremendous job with the side. He shows support for his players and always gets the best out of them. He's the right man for the job to keep leading us forward."

Assistant coach Ivan Cleary said he was keen to be involved in the future if it fitted in with his club commitments with Penrith.

"I have loved being part of it and, if we can somehow work it out [with the Panthers], I would certainly welcome the opportunity if it came up again," Cleary said.

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"Steve has been fantastic. He has been doing this for five years and they have had some great victories in that time. Australia have been the dominant force in rugby league for as long as I can remember and it hasn't changed and won't change in the near future.

"As a whole, I think the New Zealand team is getting closer. You need to remember there are some once-in-a-generation players in that Australian team and it's not always going to be that way. While it seems doom and gloom at the moment, in context, I actually think the gap is getting closer."

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Battered Sonny to rest up

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SYDNEY Roosters coach Trent Robinson has a message for an exhausted Sonny Bill Williams: "See you in February.''

Robinson told The Daily Telegraph yesterday that he planned to give Williams at least eight weeks to rest a body that has not stopped training for nearly two years.

Williams has enjoyed a stunning return season to rugby league.

His Kiwis may have lost the World Cup final but his impact on the NRL was immense this year.

But even the best need a rest.

Williams played for Panasonic in Japan last year before fighting South African heavyweight Francois Botha in February and then shifting directly into a hectic NRL season.

Rather than enjoy a break after the NRL grand final, Williams played on for another seven weeks with New Zealand.

Robinson said he doesn't want to see his star athlete near training or a football for the next two months.

Sonny Bill Williams is tackled by Greg Inglis and Josh Papalii. Source: Getty Images

''He hasn't had a break for one-and-a-half to two years,'' Robinson said.

''I think his Japanese season finished in either the last week of January or first week of February.

''We want him back feeling right. And it's not about feeling right when he comes back...it's about feeling right and fresh at the back-end of the season.

''He won't be back to training until February.''

Robinson can recall reading a pre-season story in the media questioning the worth of Williams this season.

The journalist asked whether Williams would be a distraction and flop.

''The story asked whether the sideshow (surrounding Williams) would ruin our season. I think we were supposed to run 15th,'' Robinson said.

''Twelve months later and it has been a remarkable season for Sonny. His impact has been big for the Roosters and for the game.

''Sonny has been great for both and he should be proud of what he has done.

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''The questions (about Williams' return to rugby league) were definitely out there from a lot of people. And they were entitled to ask the question.

''But to do what he has done inside a season, it a credit to him.''

Robinson said Williams off-field preparation was a key fact in his on-field brilliance.

''Some guys are different in how their motivation works and what influences them and improves their game,'' Robinson said.

''Sonny analyses really well. He is very clear about what works for him and he adjusts so quickly.

''Each games he quickly works out what he needs to do to improve.''

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Slater's performance inspired by family

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BILLY Slater ended a month from hell with a World Cup final straight out of a fairytale - answering his daughter's request with two tries as Australia thrashed New Zealand.

Slater was talking with his daughter at home in Australia on the morning of the final when Tyla Rose asked her dad if he could send a present home for her and little brother Jake.

"I was about to go and she said 'hang on Daddy, can you score one try for me and one try for Jakey'," Slater said in the aftermath after the Kangaroos' thumping 34-2 victory at Old Trafford.

After a horror World Cup that included a nightclub fight and the knee injury that almost ended his tournament, Slater could not have hoped for a more perfect ending.

Billy Slater scores his second try during the RLWC Final. Source: AP

In front of an international rugby league record crowd of 74,468 at the home of Manchester United, the Kangaroos produced a team performance many are hailing as among the greatest ever from an Australian team.

They scored five tries to nil and also maintained their outstanding defensive record that has seen them keep their opponents try less for their past five games.

All over the field there were stars for the Kangaroos.

The unsung heroes were the forwards who totally dominated the bigger Kiwi pack and that allowed the master minds of Johnathan Thurston, Cooper Cronk and Cameron Smith to orchestrate a famous victory.

Slater and Brett Morris both finished with doubles after Morris nearly did himself serious damage scoring one try when he collided with the fence dangerously positioned behind the deadball line and Jarryd Hayne also had a match to remember after suffering a heavy knock early in the game.

But the man who owned the spotlight was the bloke who had been under so much pressure for most of the tour.

And Slater later conceded even he wasn't sure if he would last the match before he ran out.

The Kangaroos celebrate with the Rugby League World Cup after victory over New Zealand in the Rugby League World Cup Final. Source: Getty Images

"It was probably the most nervous I have been going into a game for a long time," he said.

"Just the uncertainty of how (the knee) was going to hold up.

"I had trained and to be perfectly honest I didn't really convince myself at training. I probably looked okay but it didn't feel great."

But then the first try in the 19th minute when he hunted down a Thurston kick and out-jumped Kieran Foran put the demons to bed.

"I was probably just happy that I could get out there and do that sort of stuff again," he said.

"I couldn't walk a week ago and even a couple of days ago I was uming and arring whether I would put my hand up to play.

"I wasn't lying to you, I was telling the truth when I didn't know if I was playing or not so it was probably just a bit of emotion and to get out there and perform the way we did and be a part of the side we have was very special to me."

Billy Slater celebrates after scoring his second try. Source: AP

As much as Slater's performance was also about redemption for that pass he threw for Benji Marshall that handed the Kiwis the 2008 World Cup, this was also about now and the future _ and settling a debate that has been going on in recent months about just who is the number one fullback in the game.

As Kangaroos coach Tim Sheens said: "A lot of contenders have challenged him.

"A couple of them are playing in the centres for us at the moment with Jarryd Hayne at one stage and GI but Bill is still the premium number one in the game."

But if the gamble to play Slater had backfired, Sheens is also pretty sure it would have been the end of him also.

"On Wednesday we tested Billy and the staff were pretty confident," Sheens explained.

"They had been running him privately up until that point.

"The Wednesday we decided that if Bill was going to play he had to get bashed and I mean bashed.

"We threw them in tackle suits and just about everybody had a shot at him in one way or another through the session including Greg Inglis who I think secretly wanted the fullback role.

"But Billy came through it.

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"The next day there was no swelling on the knee and I was pretty confident.

"He really flew through training on Friday and I think that gave him the confidence and it did me too.

"My career and my medical staffs' careers swung on the balance, I can tell you.

"But he came through it well and his performance was brilliant."

AUSTRALIA 34 (B Morris 2 B Slater 2 C Cronk tries J Thurston 7 goals) NEW ZEALAND 2 (S Johnson goal) at Old Trafford. Referee: Richard Silverwood.

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Lurking Rory the only danger

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UPDATE: AS recently as a month ago, Adam Scott did not dare predict the final chapter of the fairytale would unfold like this. A capacity gallery sweating on his every stroke. A clean sweep of all three Australian majors at his mercy. His place in local golfing folklore sealed.

A former world No.1 in Rory McIlroy is the only menace realistically capable of destroying the dream. A perfect climax for a perfect season.

This is how Scott will sign-off on 2013, the year where his popularity has risen beyond the fairways and pro shops and into the imaginations of all Australian sports fans.

He will stand on the elevated first tee at Royal Sydney today with a four-stroke advantage, just 18 holes separating him and membership of the uber elite Triple Crown club alongside Robert Allenby. Standing opposite him will be McIlroy, the lone threat on a third day leaderboard that finished more strung out than the Flemington straight on Melbourne Cup day. "To have this opportunity is unreal," Scott said.

"I've talked about the possibility because Robert (Allenby) has done it. It's a lot of golf to play well.

"To finish it off would be an incredible way to finish the year. It would be sad if I didn't finish it off tomorrow."

The traditional moving day saw precious little change at the summit of the leaderboard as Scott survived some wayward driving to complete a tenacious 68, doubling his overnight lead against the Northern Irishman. For McIlroy, the difference weighed heavily back to a disastrous bogey, double-bogey brace at the fourth and fifth holes, which saw him momentarily plummet back to fifth.

Adam Scott has the chance to cap a tremendous golfing year with victory in the Australian Open at Royal Sydney on Sunday. Picture: Getty Images Source: Getty Images

A flawless display from there on booked a sequel of yesterday's dream final pairing, putting tournament organisers on course to smash recent Australian Open attendance records. McIlroy could have been even closer had he drained a simple four-foot putt on the last hole. "It was big," McIlroy lamented.

"I hit a good putt, but I just misread the green." Thanks to that lapse, Scott will wake this morning more relaxed, his destiny in no one else's hands with the next closest rivals - Max McCardle, Matthew Jones and Richard Green - eight shots adrift. "Four shots (over McIlroy) is a slightly better buffer," Scott said.

"It doesn't mean that it can't disappear quickly, but it does mean they have to do something to eat away.

Crowds strained at the ropes on just about every hole, with younger fans taking advantage of their nimble limbs to watch the prize fight from tree branches. What they witnessed was more akin to a slugfest for survival, rather than a memorable showcase of clean striking. Apart from a run of three straight birdies, the testing conditions kept Scott within sight on the back nine after he surged to a five-shot lead at the turn.

"I missed a lot of fairways with the driver and that was a bit uncharacteristic," he said. "For (today) to go smoothly I'm going to have take some pressure off from chipping and pitching out from under trees. That's not how you win golf tournaments on Sundays."

IF YOU'RE ON AN APPLE MOBILE DEVICE, CLICK HERE FOR THE BEST VIEWING EXPERIENCE .

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US sport giants blows Bellamy away

Craig Bellamy and Frank Ponissi in the US. Source: News Limited

CRAIG Bellamy isn't left stunned too often. He has seen and achieved everything in rugby league.

The Melbourne coach though was bewildered several times on a two-week fact-finding mission through the Miami Dolphins NFL franchise, the Miami Heat NBA club and then to world-famous University of Notre Dame.

There was the brilliance of 203cms tall Heat superstar LeBron James, watching the Dolphins live beat San Diego Chargers and the military precision of flying 154 players and staff from Miami to Tampa Bay.

There was also the media circus surrounding a bullying row at the Dolphins, having a 45-minute meeting with Miami Heat president Pat Riley and then a few days studying the sporting programs at Notre Dame, 100km east of Chicago.

Bellamy and Storm football general manager Frank Ponissi this week conducted a 90 minute presentation of their trip - which included two Dolphins matches - to members of the Melbourne football staff.

It was access all areas for the pair and they sat-in on each and every facet of the Dolphins organisation.

Mike Wallace #11 of the Miami Dolphins celebrates his touchdown in the first quarter with Lamar Miller #26 of the Miami Dolphins and Brian Hartline #82 of the Miami Dolphins against the Carolina Panthers at Sun Life Stadium on November 24, 2013 in Miami Gardens, Florida. Pic: Chris Trotman. Source: AFP

''It was a real eye-opener,'' Bellamy said.

"The door for us was open right through.

''It was something I never thought I would get the chance to do.

''Watching LeBron - I'm not a big basketball fan so I didn't realise how good he was. Watching him live was amazing.''

Ponissi was shocked when he arrived in Miami.

''We got their Sunday and went straight onto a plane to Tampa Bay where they play the Buccaneers,'' he said.

''It was like a military operation. There were 154 on the plane. We walked straight off the plane at the other end and four buses were there. The first two were for the players, the third for staff and the fourth for staff and guests. The buses were on the tarmac waiting and then a police escort took us to our hotel.

''We were in all the team meetings - we weren't barred from anything.''

Bellamy was transfixed with meeting Riley.

''That was worth the trip alone,'' Bellamy said.

But watching LeBron was the highlight.

'We watched the Heat against the Mavericks. They were some of the best athletes I have ever seen,'' Ponissi said.

''LeBron James scored 39 points. He blew us away.''

Miami Heat's LeBron James celebrates his team's win over the Toronto Raptors in an NBA basketball game in Toronto, Friday, Nov. 29, 2013. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Mark Blinch) Source: AP

Bellamy and Ponissi walked into a Dolphins franchise in turmoil after offensive lineman Richie Incognito had been suspended for allegedly bullying teammate, Jonathan Martin. It made worldwide headlines.

''It was amazing how they handled the situation,'' Ponissi said.

''It is a critical time in their season, the Dolphins are playing for a wildcard position.

''They just got on with it. It sort of reminded us about our salary cap drama. We felt the best way forward was that we don't change the routine, don't change the structure.''

Bellamy and Ponissi spoke openly about their trip on Wednesday with Storm staff.

It was professional development for them,'' Ponissi said.

''It is good to mark yourself against other high performance units. Some things you feel you do better yet you learn in other areas.''

The pair also took-in time at Notre Dame.

''We looked at their softball, volleyball and tennis programs - it was phenomenal,'' Ponissi said.

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