Melbourne Storm head coach Craig Bellamy has disclosed that the club is hopeful Cameron Munster’s groin injury isn’t as severe as initially feared.
Munster was taken off the field in pain just before halftime during Sunday’s game against the Parramatta Eels, appearing to suffer a groin injury. He has been battling this injury throughout the season, which also caused him to miss the opening weeks.
Although this setback puts his State of Origin participation in doubt, Bellamy mentioned that the initial on-field assessment differed from the post-game evaluation as the club’s medical staff continued to examine Munster’s condition.
“He was pretty devastated,” Bellamy said in his post-match press conference. “Initially, the medical staff thought it was quite serious. However, they now believe it might not be as bad, but we won’t know for sure until he cools down, gets scans, and we see how it feels.”
Bellamy acknowledged Munster would be upset by the injury but emphasized the club’s support during his recovery.
“You can’t do much until the scans are done and we have a plan. He is passionate and loves playing Origin. He knows he’s one of our leaders, and we rely heavily on him. It will be tough for him, but we will support him fully,” Bellamy added.
There are suggestions that Munster might need surgery to resolve the issue, which could sideline him for the rest of the season.
“If he has the surgery now—and I’m not 100% on this—he probably won’t play again this year if it’s the operation they think he needs,” Bellamy said.
Queensland will pick their State of Origin side for Game 1 after Round 12. Meanwhile, Melbourne faces additional challenges as backup half Jonah Pezet is out for the year with an ACL injury sustained in a QLD Cup game a few weeks ago.
