‘Not good': Storm star's concussion concerns
Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy says the club is actively 'looking' to bring in some new players from other clubs amid a 'testing' time with injuries which includes troubling ongoing concussion issues for star winger Will Warbrick.
While Storm powerhouse Nelson Asofa-Solomona will be 'playing somewhere' in his return from injury this weekend and centre Nick Meaney comes back for the Anzac Day clash with South Sydney, Bellamy said getting 17 fit players was becoming difficult.
Captain Harry Grant remains sidelined with a hamstring injury, Jack Howarth is also out after dislocating his shoulder and Warbrick hasn't even started training as he deals with 'complicated' concussion issues.
Melbourne has money in the salary cap to bring in some more players after the pre-season retirement of former captain Christian Welch. Nelson Asofa-Solomona will return from injury this weekend. NRL Photos Credit: Supplied
But Bellamy said getting deals done was becoming problematic in the current climate with other clubs also feeling the injury pinch.
'It has been testing but there's other clubs in the same boat. we're just struggling to put a 17 out there at the moment,' he said.
'We've already been looking at (bringing in players) since Christian retired. I'm not quite sure why we haven't got someone in. There's not too many clubs willing to release players.
'We need to make sure we get the best out of what we've got.'
Bellamy said Kiwi international Warbrick, who has only played two games this season, was still feeling the delayed effects of a concussion suffered in the All Stars game in February and didn't know when he'd be back.
'To be quite honest I don't really understand it, it's fairly complicated with the head knock,' he said.
'He got the head knock in the Indigenous and Maori All-Stars game and he played a week or two after that and then he had delayed symptoms.
'I'm not 100 per cent sure what is happening. He hasn't even started training yet. It hasn't been great for us or Will.'
Melbourne gave up 40-straight points in a first-ever loss to the Dolphins last week and Bellamy knows the main area they need to address against Souths, as he looks to continue a nine-year winning streak against coaching rival Wayne Bennett.
'Our completion rate has been a bit of a problem brushed under the carpet a little bit because we've been winning games,' he said.
'But our completion rate has been really poor to be quite honest so that's something that's come into view this week.'
'We need, as a team, to defend better and as individuals to defend better.'
South Sydney have never beaten the Storm in Melbourne in 19 attempts since they joined the NRL in 1998.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News.com.au
34 minutes ago
- News.com.au
Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge signs two-year extension
Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge has been lauded as a 'once-in-a-generation coach' after ending a lengthy period in limbo and signing a new two-year deal. The 2016 premiership winner was off contract at the end of 2025 and had been linked to a potential move to Melbourne earlier in the season as contract talks continued. But he'd made it clear he wouldn't be coaching anywhere in 2026 if it wasn't at the Bulldogs and has now inked a deal keeping him at the club until the end of 2027. Having already become the club's longest-serving coach, Bulldogs president Kylie Watson-Wheeler sang Beveridge's praises after locking him in. 'The extension of Luke's contract as senior coach is demonstrative of the trust, connection and partnership we have with him. Luke is a once-in-a-generation coach at our club. His commitment to the Bulldogs is unwavering,' Watson-Wheeler said. 'The considered process we have undertaken has resulted in the unanimous endorsement of the board and the unified belief that he is the best person to drive sustained success at the Bulldogs. 'As the game evolves, Luke continues to deliver a cutting-edge brand of footy and finds new ways to challenge and motivate our exciting playing group. We're optimistic about the future under his continued leadership.' Since taking the helm in 2015, Beveridge has won one premiership, taken his side to two Grand Finals and 13 finals (both club records) and holds the highest winning percentage (56.58 per cent among anyone who has coached 100 or more games for the Bulldogs. Beveridge also claimed back-to-back AFL Coaches' Association Coach of the Year awards in his first two seasons and said things were building again for the Dogs who are 6-6 going into Thursday's clash with St Kilda. 'It is the right time to thank the playing group and our staff for their commitment to growth and their willingness to explore their best and discover the possibilities outside of their comfort zone,' Beveridge said. 'The evolution of our people in recent times has been quite dramatic with the promise you see in each other starting to shine through. 'I am honoured to renew my commitment to our great club beyond this year as I endeavour to be the best leader, ambassador and coach that I can be for our people, our members and those who support us.'
West Australian
3 hours ago
- West Australian
St Kilda coach Ross Lyon suggests local media frenzy over Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera in Adelaide could impact his contract decision
St Kilda coach Ross Lyon is adamant he's 'not losing any sleep' over the looming decision from off-contract star Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera after a personal trip to Adelaide in which he was 'terrorised twice' by local media. The South Australian-born 22-year-old, who is bound for All-Australian selection in 2025, is believed to be at the centre of a bidding war between Adelaide and Port Adelaide, with the Saints also hopeful of hanging on to him. His manager, Ben Williams, denied a report suggesting Wanganeen-Milera wouldn't join the Crows due to a racism incident involving former Adelaide captain Taylor Walker in 2021. Wanganeen-Milera has close links with Port players, including Jason Horne-Francis, and the pair were spotted together at a frozen yoghurt shop in Adelaide where Wanganeen-Milera spent the bye week catching up with 'fam' according to Lyon. While there have been reports that Wanganeen-Milera, who has played 75 games with the Saints since his debut in 2022, has issues living in Melbourne, Lyon said the 'melting pot' in Adelaide, which included TV cameras following the young gun at the airport, showed what life could be like if he moved. 'What's interesting is the environment over there,' Lyon said on Tuesday. 'He's been doorstopped twice and terrorised twice (by media). It talks to the intensity over there, getting doorstopped at the airport during the bye. It's interesting how a non-story becomes a story. Clearly it's good to have competitive tension.' Lyon said the Saints were confident the development and support Wanganeen-Milera had been offered at St Kilda and their plans to be a 'great club' were the best way to ensure he remained on a deal that could reach seven figures annually. 'Build it and they will come. Develop our players, support them, make it a safe environment and then at the end of the day you are either good enough to keep them or you're not,' he said. 'I'm not losing too much sleep over it. 'We want to make St Kilda great. We've got a lot of hard work to do over a long period of time.' Lyon was also unmoved by the catch-up with Horne-Francis, a fellow Indigenous star, adamant St Kilda did a lot of work for its own First Nations players. 'The brother boys, they love getting together,' he said. 'We've got Pauly Vandenbergh (AFL diversity pathways manager) coming into the club today who works closely with our First Nations players. 'That's just one aspect of the game.' The Saints will tackle the Western Bulldogs on Thursday night just 52 days after copping a 71-point smashing in round 6. Midfielder Jack Macrae is set to push for selection against his old team after recovering from a punctured lung.
Perth Now
3 hours ago
- Perth Now
‘Terrorised twice': Lyon on pursuit of Saints star
St Kilda coach Ross Lyon is adamant he's 'not losing any sleep' over the looming decision from off-contract star Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera after a personal trip to Adelaide in which he was 'terrorised twice' by local media. The South Australian-born 22-year-old, who is bound for All-Australian selection in 2025, is believed to be at the centre of a bidding war between Adelaide and Port Adelaide, with the Saints also hopeful of hanging on to him. His manager, Ben Williams, denied a report suggesting Wanganeen-Milera wouldn't join the Crows due to a racism incident involving former Adelaide captain Taylor Walker in 2021. Wanganeen-Milera has close links with Port players, including Jason Horne-Francis, and the pair were spotted together at a frozen yoghurt shop in Adelaide where Wanganeen-Milera spent the bye week catching up with 'fam' according to Lyon. While there have been reports that Wanganeen-Milera, who has played 75 games with the Saints since his debut in 2022, has issues living in Melbourne, Lyon said the 'melting pot' in Adelaide, which included TV cameras following the young gun at the airport, showed what life could be like if he moved. 'What's interesting is the environment over there,' Lyon said on Tuesday. 'He's been doorstopped twice and terrorised twice (by media). It talks to the intensity over there, getting doorstopped at the airport during the bye. It's interesting how a non-story becomes a story. Clearly it's good to have competitive tension.' Lyon said the Saints were confident the development and support Wanganeen-Milera had been offered at St Kilda and their plans to be a 'great club' were the best way to ensure he remained on a deal that could reach seven figures annually. 'Build it and they will come. Develop our players, support them, make it a safe environment and then at the end of the day you are either good enough to keep them or you're not,' he said. 'I'm not losing too much sleep over it. 'We want to make St Kilda great. We've got a lot of hard work to do over a long period of time.' Lyon was also unmoved by the catch-up with Horne-Francis, a fellow Indigenous star, adamant St Kilda did a lot of work for its own First Nations players. 'The brother boys, they love getting together,' he said. 'We've got Pauly Vandenbergh (AFL diversity pathways manager) coming into the club today who works closely with our First Nations players. 'That's just one aspect of the game.' The Saints will tackle the Western Bulldogs on Thursday night just 52 days after copping a 71-point smashing in round 6. Midfielder Jack Macrae is set to push for selection against his old team after recovering from a punctured lung.
