The Warriors and Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy are playing down talk they could be united in a multimillion-dollar deal.

The Warriors have started the search for their next coach following Monday night's sensational sacking of Brian McClennan with two games left in this season and another year remaining on his contract.

There is speculation that wealthy Warriors club owner Owen Glenn is prepared to spend big to land a supercoach to take the reins at Mt Smart.

Bellamy, with his considerable success at the Storm, is thought to be top of that list, despite having a year to run on his current deal in Melbourne.

Australian media were buzzing yesterday with talk and stories of the possibilities - as much as $4m was mentioned in a mega-deal for Bellamy - though neither party involved was adding any substance to the rumours.

"I didn't really know until this morning that I'm going to earn all this money if I go over the ditch,” Bellamy said, laughing. "At the end of the day, as I said earlier in the year and I've said five or six times, I'm on contract here till the end of next year and I've never broken a contract before and I don't particularly want to start now.

"I'll make some sort of decision after the season's over, what time after the season's over I don't know, but certainly I'm not thinking about anything until we're finished the 2012 season.

"I suppose it could be worse and no-one would want you," he added when asked if such reports were frustrating.

Andrew Johns, who has helped the Warriors with their kicking game, added fuel to the fire on his breakfast radio league discussion in Sydney where the $4m pay cheque was raised.

"I'd love to see [Craig Bellamy] go over there, because he'd make that joint a superpower," Johns said.

Johns' brother Matthew agreed: "I hope he takes it. He's done a great job in Melbourne.

"We need the Warriors absolutely firing. When they're successful, there are kids that will walk in off the street and ask to go there. It would be fantastic if Bellamy picked up the offer.”

- © Fairfax NZ News