Craig Bellamy has declared Ryan Hoffman is free to play on next season following the Melbourne warhorse's game-winning heroics against the Sydney Roosters on Friday night.
At 34 and with over 300 NRL games under his belt, Hoffman's career is entering its twilight. However, he proved he's still setting the example for his teammates in the Storm's heart-stopping 9-8 victory over the Roosters at Adelaide Oval.
The Storm got over the line thanks to a last-minute field goal from Cameron Smith but it was Hoffman who twice charged down former teammate Cooper Cronk in the last five minutes to deny the Roosters a shot at the two points.
Hoffman's 76th-minute effort to smother Cronk's shot and regather the ball was instrumental in giving his side field position before Smith iced the game.
And when the Roosters won position off a short kick off, Cronk - playing his first game against the Storm - lined up from 15 metres out to send the game into extra-time.
However, it was Hoffman who once against raced up out of the line to get his hands to the ball alongside Tim Glasby.
"It was a tremendous effort especially that first one where he got the ball back as well," Bellamy said.
"They've done a really good job there, our guys showed desperation to charge down."
After 11 seasons at the Storm, Hoffman spent three years at the Warriors before being handed an opportunity to return to Melbourne this year.
Similar to the likes of John Sutton, Paul Gallen and Luke Lewis, he's proven age is no obstacle to being a consistent contributor for his side.
With Hoffman set to turn 35 next January, he will be weighing up his future carefully.
Fellow Storm veterans Cameron Smith and Billy Slater are also considering whether to play on, and if they do pull the plug on their illustrious careers, his experience could be crucial to the Storm in 2019.
Asked if Hoffman will play on next year, Bellamy said: "If he wants to, I couldn''t see why he wouldn't.
"He's one of the best clubmen you'll ever have. Everything about his footy is about the team, not about himself.
"He's a very unselfish guy, like his dad (Jay). I played with his dad at Canberra and he was exactly the same.
"While he's still playing reasonably well I can't see why he wouldn't want to go on.
"Having said that, he's getting on a little bit too. I know he's looking at being involved in the administration side of the footy club, hopefully he can do it at our footy club."
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