"Remember this moment," Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy told Parramatta fullback Jarryd Hayne, freshly digesting the Eels' heartbreaking NRL grand final loss.

Bellamy offered his NSW Origin star poignant words of advice which he revealed had spurred his Storm to their 23-16 victory at ANZ Stadium on Sunday.

They will also spur Hayne, a revelation this season, to even loftier heights with the Eels next year.

"I went and congratulated Craig Bellamy after the game and he just said 'Let this be a memory," Hayne revealed in the sombre Eels dressing room after the match.

"(He said) 'When my boys lost in (2008), I just said to them make sure you remember this day because this is going to be the motivation that you need to be back at the top and to win it."

Hayne said the loss would motivate him to be an even better player next season.

"Obviously it's going to be motivation for all of us," Hayne said.

"We don't want to feel this feeling again, I think we all know what Nathan (Hindmarsh) is going through now and he wants to win a grand final and so do we.

"You come so close and so far and to pull up short is tough to take."

Hindmarsh, Luke Burt and skipper Nathan Cayless were in the Eels side who lost the grand final to Newcastle in 2001.

Hayne said he felt the Eels were unable to stick to their game plan which had won them ten of their past eleven matches.

They were valiant in their efforts, closing a 16-point margin to just six points with eight minutes left, but were unable to create the magic that had been getting them across the line late in the season.

"I think at the end of the day we probably gave (the Storm) too much respect, in the fact that we didn't play our natural game," Hayne said.

"We knew they were a tough team and I think maybe we didn't throw the ball around enough.

"When we threw it around we looked dangerous, that's our play, that's how we roll, that's how we play footy.

"We didn't do it and when we did do it we looked dangerous. It's tough but what are you going to do now?

"We've come a long way, 12 weeks ago we were asked not to get the wooden spoon, to be here tonight and have the chance to win the GF, to almost comeback and win is a credit to the boys and a credit to the coaching staff.

"It's hard to take but we've got to be proud of what we've achieved."

The grand final was billed as the battle of the game's best fullbacks and Dally M Medallist Hayne came off second best as his opposite number Billy Slater claimed the prized Clive Churchill Medal.

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