Greenberg comments a wake-up call: Bellamy

Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy says NRL boss Todd Greenberg's call for NRL mentors to "grow up" and stop criticising referees has been a wake up call.

Craig Bellamy.

Craig Bellamy will think twice about giving refs a serve following comments from Todd Greenberg. (AAP)

Reserved is not a term that comes to mind when seeing Craig Bellamy in a coach's box.

But the passionate Melbourne Storm mentor claimed he would think twice before spraying referees at press conferences after a wake-up call from Todd Greenberg.

The NRL boss called a press conference this week to tell coaches to "grow up" after Cronulla's Shane Flanagan and Manly's Trent Barrett were fined a total of $50,000 for venting over referees as they bowed out of the finals.

The Storm coach, who has not been known for keeping his emotions in check, said Greenberg's address had made him "sit up and take notice" about his responsibility to set a good example.

"I just thought Todd handled that really well," he said.

"When you're heavily involved in the game ... you know the grassroots - the kids and their coaches - they're all watching.

"Sometimes we forget that we should be setting an example for our game.

"That's what I got out of what Todd said."

Bellamy said he did not see Barrett or Robinson's press conferences but admitted press conference sprays were "not on".

"What Todd said when he mentioned about the grassroots ...watching that (behaviour) then mimicking that - that's not on," he said.

"That made me sit up and take a bit of notice.

"Whether you're a player, coach or administrator at NRL level we've all got a responsibility to the game.

"Sometimes we can forget that I suppose.

"It was a good reminder for all of us I think."

Still, Bellamy admitted he could understand how frustrating a controversial finals loss would have been for Flanagan and Barrett.

"I think it's hard when something happens in the game and you've lost then you've got to talk to your players then go to a press conference," he said.

"When there's a couple of controversial decisions what's the first question you're going to get?

"It would be great if you could do it the next morning but I know that's not a viable proposition.

"To go into a press conference and you're boiling up over something whether it be referees or whatever - it's hard for that not to come out."

Minor premiers Melbourne have a week off before hosting a preliminary final at AAMI Park.


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Source: AAP



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