The Melbourne Storm lead the NRL competition by four points, and they are taking every advantage that comes with a conservative approach towards players returning from injury or carrying niggles.
The club have confirmed both Harry Grant and Nick Meaney will miss this weekend for varying reasons, with Grant rested while he carries "bumps and bruises", and Meaney returning from a calf injury that will now have an extra week to recover given Melbourne have a bye next weekend after this week's clash against the Wests Tigers.
The club's general manager of football Frank Ponissi confirmed the news.
โAfter discussions with the medical staff and Craig we felt it best to give Harry another week off as he's been carrying a lot of bumps and bruises from the season and he's played a lot of football this year,โ Ponissi said in the statement.
โHe's had two tough Origin matches so given it's the middle of the year we thought it was in his best interest to give him a break two games in a row which will freshen him up for the back end of the season.
"He's ]Meaney] got a calf injury and just pulled up a little bit short this week and since we've got the bye the following week we just took that extra precaution given it's a soft tissue injury.
โWe just felt it was in his best interest to hold him off another week so he should be back after the bye.โ
Meanwhile, Cameron Munster will also not be rushed back from his groin injury, but the club have confirmed he is making 'steady' progress.
It appears Munster could be available for selection as soon as Round 21 (against the Parramatta Eels) or Round 22 (against the St George Illawarra Dragons).
โHe's continuing his rehab at the moment, after the buy he'll start running so hopefully probably one or two weeks after the Roosters game he'll be available for selection,โ Ponissi said.
It's worse news for Xavier Coates though, with the club confirming the winger will miss six to eight weeks after suffering an injury during Saturday's win over the Canberra Raiders.
Ponissi once again stressed the club wouldn't rush him back.
โWe're looking around that 6-8 week mark to be honest which hopefully brings him back about mid-August," Ponissi said.
"It could have been a lot worse as the scans showed it was a low-grade strain but at the same time it's an injury that he's suffered before so the medical staff is going to go more on the precaution side with this one.
"If it's more than six weeks and actually around that eight weeks, so be it, as it's important that we're getting him back 100% for the run into finals.โ
That timeline likely means Coates will miss, at the very least, games between Round 18 and Round 23 against the Tigers, Roosters Eels, Dragons, and Rabbitohs, before being a chance of returning against the Panthers, Dolphins or Cowboys over the following three weeks on the run into the finals.
Meanwhile, the Storm have confirmed Jack Howarth is good to go after failing to finish Saturday's game against the Raiders, and Ryan Papenhuyzen will also play provided he makes it through training.
Alec Macdonald and Tepai Moeroa are now back on the park for the North Sydney Bears in the NSW Cup, providing the Storm some valuable extra forward depth, while the club have also confirmed outside backs Young Tonumaipea and Marion Seve, as well as young forward Tristan Powell, are all still a few weeks away from being back on the park.
