Melbourne’s Jordan McLean will spend six weeks on the sidelines with an ankle injury, adding to the high-flying Storm’s growing injury list.

The in-form prop failed to return to the field after suffering the injury in the first half of the Storm’s 48-6 NRL victory over the Broncos in Brisbane on Friday.

McLean has a grade two ankle sprain and the 24-year-old will aim to return for the second-placed side’s run to the finals in round 23 against Canberra.

He joins Nelson Asofa-Solomona in the casualty ward, with his giant front row partner last week ruled out for two months with a knee injury.

Both players have been key figures in the Storm’s devastating form this year, and their absences are blows for a side that bases much of their play on the go-forward of their huge pack.

The Storm’s casualty ward also includes Cameron Munster, Tim Glasby, Will Chambers and Billy Slater.