Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy makes shock confession about Xavier Coates’
According to Craig Bellamy, Xavier Coates has had one of the best preseasons he’s ever seen, and his aerial acrobatics to score the game-winning try against the Warriors are not surprising as he practices the move in training.
Coates scored in the final seconds of Saturday’s AAMI Park encounter to give the Warriors a 30-26 victory, with the winger taking flight from nearly five metres away and staying in touch as he placed the ball down from great height.
Bellamy stated that the 23-year-old practiced such feats in training and was one of the team’s hardest workers, with his improved defense this season especially noteworthy.
‘He didn’t just do that tonight because it was necessary; he practices it,’ the coach explained.
‘Since he’s been here, he’s been one of our hardest workers, and he’s had one of the best pre-seasons we’ve ever had.
‘Not only via hard effort, but also by accomplishing things like catching high balls, which he is required to do at work.
‘He practises that, and if he doesn’t, he won’t score that try tonight.
‘He’s a hell of an athlete, but what he’s accomplishing right now doesn’t surprise anyone because we know he’s put in the work and is getting rewarded for it, just as we are.’Bellamy also praised Storm fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen, who scored twice, the second in the 77th minute to pull the Storm back into the game.
Returning from a brutally broken leg and a damaged kneecap that jeopardized his career, Papenhuyzen has lost none of his scorching off-the-mark pace.
Bellamy said it was nice to see his confidence returning and that he expected to continue to develop.
‘He scored two tries and made a few of line breaks, but I think he can improve on what he’s done in the last two weeks,’ Bellamy added.’He has been out of the game for a long time, but you can tell that his confidence is returning.
‘The last two weeks he’s got a lot of confidence back from the three or four games he’s played this year and think he’ll get even better and better.’He’s a great leader in our team too … which really helps the team and the younger players so he’s got more to contribute.’
