While Jahrome Hughes is poised to return, Melbourne will consider resting some of their other stars in the remaining two rounds after sealing a top-two spot for the NRL finals with a hard-fought win over Canterbury.
The Storm moved four points clear of the third-placed Bulldogs on the back of the 20-14 victory at AAMI Park, with Canberra in the box seat to claim the minor premiership after downing Penrith in golden point earlier on Friday.
Melbourne still have two tough top-eight encounters to complete their regular season. They host the Sydney Roosters next Friday night before a Thursday clash against the Broncos in Brisbane.
But with their points difference 144 better than the Bulldogs, they would need to suffer two monumental losses to lose their top-two spot.
Coach Craig Bellamy said the players, as well as medical staff, would have some input into who gets a rest.
Forward Trent Loiero clocked 48 tackles against the Bulldogs while fellow State of Origin forward Stefano Utoikamanu has played 21 matches in his first season with Melbourne.
Second-rower Eli Katoa has also been a workhorse, scoring 11 tries in his 22 matches, while the Storm usually take a cautious approach with their thoroughbred winger Xavier Coates, who against Canterbury bagged his 19th try from 18 games.
Cameron Munster has carried a heavy load in recent weeks with his halves partner Hughes sidelined after a shoulder dislocation.
“We have to lose our two games and probably get beat by a fair bit to get out of that top-two position so we’ll have a bit of a sit down and chat about it,” Bellamy said.
“Hopefully, we’ll get a chance to rest some players. Some players feel that they’d like a rest and then there’s others that don’t, and sometimes if we’re strong that a rest will do them good then we’ll sort of force that.
“That’s something we’ll work out over the next two weeks and take it from there.”
Initially forecast to return in week one of the finals, Hughes is confident about being available for the Broncos match as he continues his rehabilitation on his shoulder that he hurt against the Roosters in late July.
The Storm have only had their first-choice spine on the park for eight matches this season, with fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen also missing a number of games through injury.
“I don’t think he needs to play as far as combinations and things like that, but just, I suppose for his confidence, and having confidence in the shoulder,” Bellamy said of Hughes.
“I’d hate for him to go into a final with a bit of doubt.
“So if we could take that doubt out of it by playing him in our last round, we’ll look to do that, as long as the physios and the medical people think he’s 100 per cent right to play.”
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