Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy says nothing will stop him feeling proud of his side's evolution in 2016 despite their grand final loss.
The Storm fell 14-12 to the Cronulla Sharks, who ended their 50-season premiership drought after a late Andrew Fifita try.
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Bellamy won't dwell on Chambers' call
Storm coach Craig Bellamy defended Will Chambers' decision not to pass an inside ball to an unmarked Cooper Cronk in the dying minutes of the grand final.
Bellamy said his side had achieved great things but paid for being forced into too many defensive sets during an imposing first half from the Sharks, who had the majority of the 83,625 supporters cheering them on.
"Before the game I was really proud of what these blokes have done here and nothing has changed," Bellamy said post game.
"We were minor premiers of the competition, we have made our way to the grand final and I know there will be a lot of negative stuff from you guys in the press about what we did do and what we didn't do.
"But at the end of the day it's hard to make a grand final and it's extra hard to win one.
"I'm extra proud of what our boys did this year and tonight doesn't change that for me."
The Storm had only 44 per cent of possession compared with 56 for the Sharks, with the Storm forced into 436 tackles compared to 312.
![Dejected: Storm coach Craig Bellamy and several players after the game.](/web/20161005142809im_/http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/content/dam/images/g/r/t/e/d/k/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.grteau.png/1475424317017.jpg)
"We gave a tremendous effort to only be 8-0 down at half time and then to lead was a tremendous effort," Bellamy said.
"They are gutsy, they have been gutsy all year."
!["They played well, they started well and they probably ran harder than us in the first half": Craig Bellamy.](/web/20161005142809im_/http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/content/dam/images/g/r/t/e/d/j/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.grteau.png/1475424317017.jpg)
Bellamy said he felt the late penalty on forward Christian Welch was "tough" as it set the table for Fifita's try.
But he said the Sharks were the fair winners and he wouldn't use the referees as an excuse.
"They played well, they started well and they probably ran harder than us in the first half," Bellamy said.
"They deserved to win."
Storm centre Will Chambers almost created a match winning try with a grubber kick to himself in the final minutes.
Video replays showed the halfback Cooper Cronk was free on Chambers' inside but the centre didn't see Cronk so didn't make the pass.
"I wished he had passed it," Bellamy said with a wry smile.
"That's easy for us, you can sit there and watch it in slow motion but he's playing a game speed.
"It was probably on but he has real time speed there, did he have time to throw it accurately?
"It might have went forward. Will was one of our best players, we won't hold Will responsible for that, it was a great play to get in that position."
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