{"id":73680,"date":"2026-08-17T06:23:13","date_gmt":"2026-08-17T06:23:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/73680\/"},"modified":"2026-08-17T06:23:13","modified_gmt":"2026-08-17T06:23:13","slug":"melbourne-storm-superstar-cameron-munster-addresses-future-amid-links-to-png-chiefs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/73680\/","title":{"rendered":"Melbourne Storm superstar Cameron Munster addresses future amid links to PNG Chiefs"},"content":{"rendered":"

Melbourne<\/a> star Cameron Munster will sit down with Storm bosses to discuss the club\u2019s long-term coaching plans as he weighs up whether to see out his career as a one-club player.\u00a0<\/p>\n

As Melbourne stare down the first season in more than a decade where they will not feature in the NRL finals, Storm coach Craig Bellamy has declared he will remain in charge for 2027, despite publicly disclosing his battle with a \u201cneurodegenerative disorder\u201d earlier this year.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Assistants Ryan Hinchcliffe and Aaron Bellamy – Craig\u2019s son – have both been linked to replacing the supercoach, who is contracted until the end of 2028.<\/p>\n

Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today Arrow<\/a><\/p>\n

And despite standing down as Queensland coach last week, Storm great Billy Slater has consistently claimed the grind of day-to-day NRL coaching doesn\u2019t appeal to him.<\/p>\n

Munster is off contract at the end of next season and was recently given permission by Melbourne to speak with the PNG Chiefs ahead of their entry into the NRL in 2028.<\/p>\n

\"Two-timeTwo-time NRL premiership player Cameron Munster has yet to decide his long-term playing future. Credit: AAP<\/p>\n

\u201cThat (the Storm\u2019s coaching plans) is something that I need to obviously speak to the club about and my management,\u201d Munster said ahead of Thursday\u2019s clash with Penrith.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s all well and good and whoever\u2019s going to be the coach (after Bellamy), I know \u2018Bellyache\u2019 is the coach next year.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re very lucky to have him for another year, whether that\u2019s further beyond that, I\u2019m not too sure what he decides or the club.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI know full well that I\u2019ll be here next year with him, and I\u2019m looking forward to having a better year than it was this year.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Munster made his debut for the Storm in 2014 and has played in six grand finals, winning two premierships (2017, 2020).<\/p>\n

The five-eighth turns 32 in September, meaning his next contract is likely to be his last on top dollar.<\/p>\n

\u201cObviously the coach does play a part, and the coach has got to want me here as well,\u201d Munster said on Monday.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve got some good young kids coming through our grades and our pathways.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI love the club, I have so much respect and love for it. They\u2019re the club that gave me my first chance and I\u2019m about giving back to that.<\/p>\n

\u201cI could have gone to other clubs for more money, but at the same time I\u2019ve got to make sure I do the right thing for my family too – I\u2019ve got three maniac kids and they\u2019ve got to go to school and get a better education than myself.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Munster, meanwhile, urged the Queensland Rugby League to reach out to Cameron Smith as they weigh up a replacement for Slater.<\/p>\n

Smith was previously on Slater\u2019s Maroons coaching staff, but has yet to declare whether he will apply for the Queensland coaching job.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you look at guys like him (Smith), Billy and JT (Johnathan Thurston), they\u2019re guys that have been in that arena a long time and had a lot of success,\u201d said Munster, who was made Maroons captain by Slater midway through the 2025 series.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019ll be a no-brainer to have a chat to Smithy, (but) I\u2019m not sure if he wants to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

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