Craig Bellamy's brutal act towards Brandon Smith after Storm exit
Brandon Smith is reportedly 'on the nose' with Craig Bellamy and the Melbourne Storm after playing his final game for the club before his move to the Roosters next year.
The Storm's season was ended abruptly by the Raiders in the first week of the finals after Canberra chalked up their fifth-successive win at AAMI Park with a 28-20 victory.
Tellingly, Bellamy didn't mention Smith's name when saying his departing players deserved a better send-off.
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It marked the last game at the Storm for captain Jesse Bromwich and younger brother Kenny, as well as fellow veteran forward Felise Kaufusi.
All three will be playing for the Dolphins next year in the new club's inaugural season in the NRL, while Smith is also on the move after signing with the Roosters.
Bellamy said it wasn't the way he wanted to see his players go out, with the club making its earliest exit since 2014.
Jesse has played 295 games since making his debut for the Storm in 2010.
"They've all been tremendous for us," Bellamy said.
"Jesse and Kenny have been here since 2008 - that's a long time and they've done a lot for our club.
"I'm so disappointed for them, I think they deserve to go out on a better note than that.
"Fuse (Kaufusi) has turned into a State of Origin and Australian player and the other three have all played for New Zealand so they've done a lot of great things for our club and some great things for themselves since they've been here so it's disappointing to be sending them out on this note."
On Sunday, veteran NRL journalist Danny Weidler made note of the fact that Bellamy didn't mention Smith, saying the Kiwi hooker is 'on the nose' at the club.
"Smith had worn out his welcome in Melbourne, to the point where Storm coach Craig Bellamy didn’t even mention his name when paying tribute to departing players during his final media conference of the year," Weidler wrote in the Sydney Morning Herald.
"Bellamy has not been keeping it to himself that he was less than thrilled with Smith this season."
Brandon Smith's tumultuous end to Storm stint
Smith first sparked controversy during an infamous podcast appearance earlier this year when he said he was joining the Roosters 'to win a premiership'.
Storm football boss Frank Ponissi later slammed Smith's comments, saying they were disrespectful towards the club.
Bellamy also subjected Smith to some brutal treatment during his suspension for calling a referee a 'cheat', making him train by himself away from his teammates.
Smith called Adam Gee a 'cheating bastard' during the Storm's 28-6 loss to Cronulla in Round 17 and was subsequently banned three weeks for dissent.
"I think I was getting punished for not putting the team first," he said last month.
"The isolation is about making you feel guilty for your actions by taking away what you love most and for me in footy that's playing with my mates.
"They took that away from me and it sucks. It's been pretty hard, it's been a little grind - waking up early and training by yourself, it gets pretty boring.
"Just being able to hang out with the boys now it's like to be a little more grateful for being in a team sport."
with AAP
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