How Ivan Cleary is mastering Craig Bellamy’s most famous coaching trick
Ivan Cleary has drawn inspiration from Craig Bellamy more than once.
When Penrith’s rotten 2019 campaign proved the turning point that sparked a dynasty – but not before Cleary considered walking away from the club – it was the Storm culture that he eventually set about emulating.
Most tellingly, Cleary told his players “I’m inspired by Melbourne” before their 2023 preliminary final clash with the Storm, in a moving speech later shared with the world in the club’s Undisputed documentary.
At the heart of Penrith’s overtaking of the Storm as the competition’s premier side lies one of Bellamy’s most enduring calling cards as a coach.
Bellamy’s ability to lift the likes of Bryan Norrie from Wagga Wagga to an NRL title, or Brenko Lee to Queensland Origin honours within a year of being labelled “not a first-grader” by the Titans, is legendary.
Jaiman Lowe. Ben Cross. Kirk Reynoldson. More recently, Grant Anderson, Nick Meaney and Josh King. Rugby league journeymen elevated beyond not just what the rest of the game, but they themselves, figured possible, with careers revived or outright saved on a regular basis.
“I can see a bit of that at Penrith too, it’s a fair point,” says Tom Jenkins, one of several Panthers rejuvenated after being cut loose from rival clubs, ahead of the Good Friday showdown with the Storm.
“Most importantly in that, I think it comes down to the culture that’s been built at the club.
“The great [Panthers scout] Jimmy Jones always says, ‘you don’t play good footy unless you’re happy’. I think the improvement you see in players here is a product of that.
“But also, people say Penrith is a ‘system team’ and we all fit into that. There definitely is a system of play but I think the coaching staff are really strong on working with each of us and building our strengths into the game plan.
“You work out who you can express yourself and play your footy in that system, and that’s probably the changes that happen each year, and the little things that help us succeed, and really play with confidence too.”
Jenkins is the poster boy for Penrith “pulling a Melbourne” with an individual.
In a little over a year, he cut short a Knights contract to play Ron Massey Cup, took up an invitation to train with Penrith’s NSW Cup side, turned that into an $85,000 development deal and is now in talks over a multi-year extension.
The 25-year-old holds his own slice of rugby league history, too. His 10 tries in four games this year sit alongside Dragons great Jack Lindwall (brother of cricketing icon Ray Lindwall) in 1948 as the most prolific try-scoring start to a season.
On Penrith’s opposite edge, Paul Alamoti is one of the form centres of the competition.
Once touted for big things at Canterbury as a prodigious junior talent, the Tongan international has eventually realised his potential at the Panthers. But only after signing for roughly half the $450,000 he was earning in his last Bulldogs deal.
Veteran back-rowers Scott Sorensen and Luke Garner have enjoyed similar upswings in the Penrith system.
Isaiah Papalii is into his second season at the club and back to the form that won him Dally M back-rower of the year honours at Parramatta. And again, only after failing to live up to his hype as a marquee signing at the Tigers.
Life obviously gets easier playing alongside Nathan Cleary, Isaiah Yeo, Dylan Edwards and Co, with Ivan Cleary overseeing it all.
But like Bellamy’s well-worn systems at Melbourne, the new arrivals only get out what they put in. And no-one gets a free ride.
“The leadership in our group from guys like Dyl, Cleary, and Isaiah, those boys have accomplished so much in the game,” Alamoti says.
“I still pinch myself every day coming in. When I first came to Penrith, it opened my eyes to see how they train and every day the standards are just so high.
“The way they compete every day, you can see how they’ve brought success to the club”.
Dan Walsh is a sports reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via X or email.