Just as Twain kicked on long after reports of his demise circulated, competition leaders Melbourne continue to defy suggestions that they are somehow on a downward trajectory. 

The claims “greatly exaggerated” have accompanied the start of every new season since claiming a redemptive NRL title in 2012. 

They calls grew louder when they lost one leg of rugby league’s most famous tripod Billy Slater but, after 14 rounds, they sit at the top of the table and – in your columnist’s humble opinion  – are the team to beat in 2016.

Sure Cronulla are giving their long-suffering fans reason to believe, North Queensland won’t give up their hard-won crown without a fight and the Broncos are burning with desire following their heartbreak last season – but it’s that well-oiled Melbourne machine that truly has all the tools.

Some coaches are great tactitians, others are man-managers. Craig Bellamy has mastered both, through adversity and success but what he’s truly turned into an art-form is the ability to find a diamond, or more correctly diamonds, in the rough, to find value where others can’t...or won’t.

You only need to look at his playing to career to see where that sense comes from. He carved out a solid 149-game NRL career with Canberra predominantly in the centres but sporadically at fullback, wing, five-eighth, lock and from the bench throughout his decade-long career.

It was a career built more on grit and smarts than talent and, in sides that featured names likes Meninga, Daley, Stuart, Clyde, Belcher, Walters and Lazarus, his name would not have drawn more than a passing glance on the team sheet.

It’s a grounding in the game that goes along way to explaining Bellamy’s ability to get the most out of role-players – he was one himself and, while other coaches play lip service to it, he truly understands their value.

He gave an insight into the philosophy from Storm camp in Kiama this week.

“If they get told they need to move on and they’re not wanted there’s two ways they can go,” Bellamy said.

“They can give up, hate the world and think everyone’s against them or you can have a bit of a hard look at yourself and think well ‘I’ve got to work harder and I’ve got to do things a little bit smarter’.

“If you take the second one you’re a chance of coming back.”

There’s no doubting that when Bellamy finally hangs up the clipboard the names Smith, Cronk and Slater will remain synonymous with him. But it’s the number of players he’s taken down that second path that are the true measure of his genius. 

In the past it’s been the likes of Brian Norrie, Jaiman Lowe, Todd Lowrie, Clint Newton or Scott Anderson. Now it’s the likes of Cheyse Blair and Ryan Morgan.

What’s scary for their rivals this season is that, while they still have the big-game experience of Smith, Cronk and their usual band of rocks turned diamonds, it’s the crop in between that truly make them a premiership force. 

They have a pack chock-full of Internationals including incumbent Kiwi captain Jesse Bromwich and New Zealand regulars Kevin Proctor and Tohu Harris.

Add the likes of emerging stars Cameron Munster, Marika Koroibete and young giant Nelson Asafa-Solomona and they’re truly a force to be reckoned with –they’ll take some beating come finals time.