Melbourne Storm are rolling the dice with Jahrome Hughes, naming the injured superstar halfback among three key inclusions as they gear up to host Cronulla in Friday night’s NRL grand final qualifier.
Hughes has played only one match in the past two months, having broke his arm in a round 27 return from a shoulder dislocation.
But the Dally M Medallist has persuaded coach Craig Bellamy and the Storm’s medical team he is fit for the blockbuster match at AAMI Park as Melbourne chase a berth in consecutive grand finals.
With his arm in a padded brace following surgery, the New Zealand Test number seven gave his injured arm a searching work-out on Tuesday before getting the green light to be included in the line-up.
Despite the huge news for Storm fans, skipper Harry Grant said Hughes still had a few hurdles ahead.
“He’s been training pretty well and getting through what he has to do, but he’s still got a fair bit to get through obviously with the week and how it builds and all that kind of stuff,” Grant said.
Star trio out for Melbourne’s first NRL final
Jonah Pezet, who starred at halfback in Melbourne’s qualifying final win over Canterbury, is ready and waiting should Bellamy make a late switch, with Hughes himself saying he wouldn’t jeopardise his team if he wasn’t 100 per cent.
“I’m confident … it’s the medical team that’s going to have to see where I’m at, but in saying that I’m not someone that’s going to put the team under pressure by coming back early so I’m going to be making sure I’m right to go,” Hughes said.
“If I’m fully fit, I’ll definitely put my hand up but I don’t want to be going in at 50 per cent — it’s not worth it, especially with having someone like Jonah there, being able to fill the void.”
As well as Hughes, fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen has been included after recovering from a head knock that ruled him out of the Bulldogs match.
Second-rower Shawn Blore, who has been sidelined for the past month with a fractured larynx, has been named on the interchange bench with initial fears his season was over.
Melbourne are wary of a Sharks’ outfit which has won nine of its past 10 matches, thumping Canberra in the semi-finals to send the minor premiers packing from the premiership race.
Grant said Cronulla may have been “flying under the radar” heading into the finals but had made a statement with their recent form.
“They’re such a star-studded team — big powerful outside backs, powerful forwards and just their spine just combining and really creating off the back of that,” he said.
“They probably flew under the radar … and sometimes that’s a good thing as you just knuckle down and get about your business and I think they’ve really done that this season, so we’re expecting a firing Sharks team.”
Reynolds back to prove critics wrong, Mam’s new Broncos role
Ezra Mam (left) will start on the bench for the Broncos, while Ben Hunt (right) will join Adam Reynolds in the halves against Penrith.
(AAP: Darren England)
Brisbane playmakers Adam Reynolds and Ezra Mam return from injury for the grand final qualifier against Penrith, with Mam set for an X-factor bench role.
Both return from five-week lay-offs to a side unbeaten since the pair suffered hamstring injuries in round 23 against Melbourne.
Reynolds said he was now “100 per cent” fit and ready to perform at number seven after a minor training setback three weeks ago.
In his absence, fullback Reece Walsh has been in electric form after forging a slick combination with Ben Hunt at half.
Hunt will shift to five-eighth against the Panthers at Lang Park but Reynolds refuted suggestions dynamo fullback Walsh would be impeded from showcasing his best.
“The media can make what they want of the last couple of months, but prior to that I was trying to get Walshy more ball, and they sit there and knock that down like it’s a bad thing,” Reynolds said.
“Not much will change. Walshy has been playing fantastic football and is a big part of the reason we are in this situation. I will be trying to get him as much ball as possible and if he sees an opportunity, it’s open for him to take it.”
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Mam has moved well at training the past week and done enough to convince coach Michael Maguire he is ready to shine.
Instead of starting, the plan is for Mam to be injected into the match when fatigue sets in among his teammates, and utilise his renowned footwork to trouble the middle forwards and Penrith’s edge defence.
The Panthers will remember how dynamic Mam can be after his hat-trick of tries in the 2023 grand final, won 26-24 by Penrith after a late Broncos’ collapse.
“I am just really excited for him and to rub shoulders with him again on the field,” Walsh said.
“I feel like we have a really good connection and a really good instinct about each other. I’m just ready to go after it with him.”
AAP
