Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes has declared his interest in becoming the next coach of the Broncos after the front-runner for the position, Craig Bellamy, re-signed with Melbourne.
Bellamy's decision to accept a five-year deal reportedly worth $2.5 million, which keeps him in Melbourne until the end of 2013, had the Broncos scrambling yesterday in their search for a replacement for master coach Wayne Bennett, who will leave at the end of this season to join St George Illawarra.
While Broncos assistant coach Ivan Henjak and St Helens' Daniel Anderson immediately firmed as favourites, Folkes confirmed last night that he would be interested - but only if Brisbane chief executive Bruno Cullen made the first move.
"I'm a career coach so I would have to be interested," said Folkes, who will be replaced by Kevin Moore at the end of this season. "If the Broncos approached me, I would certainly listen to what they had to say."
Bellamy had been the Broncos' No.1 target, and the decision of gun centre Israel Folau to sign with them for the next four years suggested he would follow, possibly as early as next season.
His decision not to means two NRL coaches have now shunned the Broncos to take up positions elsewhere. Last month, Canberra coach Neil Henry overlooked them to sign a five-year deal with North Queensland. Bellamy's assistant and former Kiwi international, Stephen Kearney, is another possible candidate, as well as Castleford coach and former Broncos forward Terry Matterson. Like Folkes, Kearney will only be lured away if the Broncos approach him.
Anderson's manager, Jim Banaghan, said: "We don't know if we're on a short list, a long list or a shopping list. If they knock on the door or ring the bell, it doesn't matter - we'll answer either way."
Cullen did not return the Herald's calls, and all Broncos chairman Darryl Somerville would say when contacted was that Bellamy "wasn't favoured above any other applicants".
Bellamy informed the Storm and the Broncos this morning of his decision, although it is believed that Cullen had told Melbourne counterpart Brian Waldron at the Centenary Ball on Thursday night he knew Bellamy wasn't coming to Brisbane. At the same time, Bellamy was discussing a potential move with his wife and children.
The Herald also understands that News Ltd - which owns the Storm and the Broncos - were crucial to the deal and were responsible for the multimillion-dollar offer because it views Bellamy as crucial to the club's continued success in the AFL-obsessed Victorian capital.
"As time goes on, you sway to and fro. I don't know how close but at a couple of stages there it was 60-40 I was going to go," Bellamy said. "It was a tough decision. I don't think there's been any secret, my attraction to going back to the Broncos was my kids live up there.
"They've been such a great support. I know they would have preferred that we'd gone back up there to be close to them again. But both of them said, 'Dad, do whatever makes you happy."'
Bellamy's decision to stay was immediately viewed by many as an indication that Melbourne are poised to establish the same type of dynasty the Broncos built in the 21 years of Bennett at the helm. The Storm might have lost Folau to the Broncos but Bellamy said he expected his decision would help convince some of the club's leading players to remain in Melbourne - especially captain Cam Smith, who could have exercised a get-out clause in his contract had Bellamy left.
"Craig is an important part in anyone's decision of where they want to go and he holds a lot of weight when contracts come around," Smith said. "But there's a lot of factors in deciding which club you want to play for."
When asked about the size of Bellamy's new pay packet, Waldron replied: "[The contract] is commensurate with Craig's standing in the game, as it should be. We believe we have the best coach and he needs to be well looked after and rewarded."
