Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy has conceded star playmaker Jahrome Hughes is “unlikely” to face the Roosters in Friday’s most-win semi final as the Storm look to a avoid a straight-sets exit.
Tyran Wishart looms as a likely replacement for Hughes who failed to train with the main group on Thursday, just 24 hours out from the AAMI Park clash.
Bellamy didn’t want to rule the halfback out but wasn’t confident he’d be ready to play the Roosters.
“(Hughes) done a little bit of running this morning, but we‘ll just see how he pulls up,” Bellamy said.
“To be honest, he‘s probably unlikely, but we’ll just see how he pulls up this afternoon after the run.”
Wishart has played a variety of roles for Melbourne this season and looms as the likely replacement with Bellamy trying to avoid massive shuffling among his spine.
That would remove the likelihood of hooker Harry Grant moving to partner with Cameron Munster in the halves.
“He (Wishart) done most of the training there (on Thursday), but we’ve also got a couple of other options we can use,” Bellamy said.
“There‘s obviously a bit of shuffling going on.
“Whether the less shuffling, the better, or the more shuffling the better.
“But we‘ve got a plan that hopefully we’ll be able to stick to.”
Melbourne were smashed 26-0 by the Brisbane Broncos last Friday to continue a poor run of finals form since the 2020 premiership win.
Hughes was among several senior Storm players who put up their hands in the team review and vowed to turn things around.
The Roosters have been hit hard by injury and Melbourne are short-priced favourites to continue on to a preliminary final showdown with Penrith.
Storm has won seven of the last eight clashes with the Roosters, including both encounters this season.
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