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Bellamy only looking to future

By Melissa Woods 22/08/2010 02:26:21 PM Comments (0)

Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy simply isn't concerned about what might have been.

After his side chalked up their 13th win of the NRL season with a 24-4 victory at AAMI Park over lowly Cronulla, Bellamy said he had no interest in the NRL ladder and what it would mean if his side had been able to play for points.

The Storm were cruising in April when they were stripped of two premiership titles and all points for this season after their massive salary cap cheating was exposed.

Indicative of the pride the players and coach have in themselves and the club, they've since won nine of their last 16 games and if they were able to accrue points rather than be cemented on the bottom of the table, would be level with second-placed Penrith.

But Bellamy said he had no interest in 'what if'.

"I don't think we need to do the math (to work out their ladder position), everyone keeps telling us where we'd be, 'If you were in the competition and if you were getting points you'd be on this and that'," he said.

"I don't particularly want to know.

"At the end of the day it doesn't mean anything, it's not reality.

"Some of the players probably do, I don't know, when they've got a spare hour after a gym session before a training session they might work it out, I'm not quite sure but it's certainly of no interest to me to be quite honest."

Instead Bellamy is focused on the future, with the performance against the Sharks giving him encouragement for the 2011 season.

With winger Matt Duffie suffering a season-ending knee injury, the coach was forced to reshuffle the backline and brought second-rower Sika Manu into the centres.

Manu made a break which eventually led to Melbourne's first try and then scored one himself, with his powerful charges proving a handful for the Sharks backs.

Reserve hooker Ryan Hinchcliffe also spent some time in the centres and also came up with a try.

With Melbourne's forward stocks on the lean side next season with players including Ryan Hoffman, Aiden Tolman, Jeff Lima and Brett White departing, the return to form of New Zealand international Manu, who has had a shocking run with injury, is a coup.

"It seems funny he's only played 50 games but he's had a couple of bad injuries so hopefully he's had his bad luck with injuries," Bellamy said.

"I think he's got a lot more improvement in him as well so he's certainly going to be really important player and a really good player.

"Hopefully he can stay away from any more serious injuries and he'll be an important part of our team next year."

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