Melbourne Storm have today confirmed their coaching and football staff appointments for the 2019 season.
Current assistant coach (forwards) Jason Ryles has been promoted to Senior Assistant Coach. Having been at the Club for three seasons the former Australian and NSW prop has be instrumental in developing one of the premier forward packs in the NRL.
Marc Brentnall has been promoted to the role of Assistant Coach and will be responsible for the team's attack and outside backs. The highly rated Brentnall, has been one of the Club's two development coaches for the last three seasons and has also previously coached Storm's NYC side in 2015 and prior to that was an assistant to Anthony Seibold during his time as the NYC coach in 2014.
Aaron Bellamy will continue in his role as Development Coach for a fourth season, focused on working with the younger members of the Club's playing roster and those players who travel to play for the feeder teams each weekend. He will also work closely with Brentnall in regard to the NRL team attack.
As announced in September, Ryan Hinchcliffe will begin his new role as Development Coach with the Club in November, having just retired from playing with Super League club Huddersfield Giants where he has played for the last three years. He will work with the players travelling to play with Storm feeder teams, as well as working with Ryles and the forwards.
All four coaches, Ryles, Brentnall, Bellamy and Hinchcliffe have signed for three years, in line with the contract Head Coach Craig Bellamy signed in June.
In other Football staff re-signings Lachlan Penfold continues in his role of Head of Performance for a third season, with Performance Coaches Daniel Di Pasqua, Adam Basil and Hal Marsden part of the high performance team.
Head Doctor Jason Chan, Head Physiotherapist Meirion Jones, and physiotherapists Chris Tandy and Andrew Nawrocki also continuing their tenure at Storm in managing the medical welfare of players in the NRL squad.
Legendary fullback Billy Slater will also have a role with the Club, as a part-time specialist coach.
As previously announced, retiree Ryan Hoffman will join the Storm staff as Football Administration Coordinator alongside experienced Football Director Frank Ponissi.
In confirming the coaching and staff appointments, Storm Football Director Frank Ponissi said, "Once Craig re-signed with the Club we began the process of re-signing all our coaching and football staff. Stability is crucial in maintaining sustained success and we are extremely pleased to have retained all our staff.
"We have a very experienced, highly professional and passionate Football staff who are always seeking ways to improve, challenge themselves and who also possess a significant care for our playing group and the success of the Club.
"With Adam O'Brien's departure, we were thrilled to promote from within, Jason has played a key role in the Club's on-field success and has built an excellent rapport with the entire playing squad.
"Additionally, Marc has worked extremely hard progressing through our coaching system has worked with our key playmakers the last three seasons and is well liked and respected by the players."
All coaches and staff will return to the Club in mid November for the start of pre-season training.
