Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy says he’s not expecting “miracles” as star playmaker Cameron Munster looms an inclusion for Thursday’s blockbuster against the Broncos as he declared out-of-favours forward Nelson Asofa Solomona “has a contract” and isn’t going anywhere.
Munster is set to play his first game of the season having battled a baffling groin injury which Storm’s medical staff have struggled to get on top of and one which frustrated both the player and his coach.
The star five-eighth missed all of Melbourne’s pre-season trial as well but is likely to tackle Brisbane at AAMI Park although how much game time he plays remains to be seen.
“There’s a pretty good chance that he might line up,” Bellamy said on Wednesday with how Munster pulls up from the final training session set to determine whether he plays.
“As I’ve said before, you know, the injury’s been fine or seems to be fine, then all of a sudden it flares up again. So, you know, he’s had a couple of the sessions this week that he’s gone pretty well in. So, yeah, so hopefully he pulls up OK tomorrow after today’s session and then we’ll just we’ll just go from there.
“Cameron’s obviously you know really experienced player too so you know we probably missed a little bit of that and we all know what he can do you know when he’s playing he’s best.
“We’re not going to expect miracles from him. He’s missed a lot of time training and he’s missed the trials and first four games of the season, so he’ll take him a little bit of getting back into it, I’d imagine.”
Bellamy said Munster’s young replacement, Jonah Pezet, had done a “good job for us” and he’d have no hesitation going to him again should he be needed.
While Munster is set for a return Asofa-Solomona remains on the outer, making his way back to full fitness through the Queensland Cup after a series of hamstring injuries during the pre-season.
Amid reports Bellamy was upset with how heave the 120kg forward was on his return to training, the coach dismissed suggestions he could be available to other clubs labelling Asofa-Solomona a “real asset” when he’s up and going.
“That sort of private conversation is between me,” Bellamy said responding to a question about whether Asofa-Solomona was told to trim down.
“He’s an important part of our club. We just need him playing well. H’s had some real hamstring problems and he hasn’t done a lot of work in the pre-season. So that’s a little bit of the problem as well.
“We’re not gonna put him in until he’s ready. He’ll be a real asset to us if we can get him back in and when he gets that time under his belt training and some games. But like I say, he’s just short of that at the moment.
“I don’t know how long it’s going to take. He’s training full-on now. So that’s a good sign and hopefully won’t take him too long.”
Bellamy dismissed the speculation over a potential move for Asofa-Solomona, who is contracted until the end of 2027, amid reported interest from the Dragons.
“At the end of the day, he’s got a contract. I don’t think that needs answer, to be quite honest,” he said. .
“It’s frustrating for all of us, you know. We know how much he adds to the team when he’s playing his best. So, you know, like I say, it’s not… It’s just that situation where he missed a lot of our pre -season, you know, with a hamstring injury, you know, and, you know, I think it reoccurred, you know, a couple of times.
“So, like I say, he’s missed a lot of times. So, you know, let’s say he’s, you know, big guys like him, you know, they need to train and they need to be playing.
“But when we think he’s had enough time training and enough, you know, games in Queensland Cup, you know, he’s going to be a real asset for us.
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