They welcomed back four big stars, but Melbourne added two more players to the casualty ward in Sunday’s 30-6 gritty NRL win over Manly on the Sunshine Coast.
The injuries soured an important victory in which centre Justin Olam scored his second hat-trick against the Sea Eagles in three games and the Storm shot out to outright second on the NRL ladder.
Winger Marion Seve went down with a suspected ACL injury that would end his season, while New Zealand Test star Nelson Asofa-Solomona suffered a calf injury early in the second half.
It was the end to a rough day for Seve, who was earlier crunched in a heavy tackle by fullback Tevita Funa before he was helped from the field just 10 minutes into the match.
The dual injuries add to a long run of horror luck for Melbourne, who welcomed back Cameron Smith, Cameron Munster, Jahrome Hughes and Jesse Bromwich for Sunday’s win.
However, they are still without Dale Finucane, Kenny Bromwich, Suliasi Vunivalu and Brandon Smith from their first-choice starting lineup with a month to go until finals.
And still, they were a class above against the Sea Eagles.
Olam’s three tries were the standout for a backline that fired, with Ryan Papenhuyzen and Josh Addo-Carr terrorising Manly’s defensive line.
Addo-Carr finished with a double, including a runaway effort through the middle of the field in the final minute of the game, while Asofa-Solomona also scored in the first half.
In his first match in a month, skipper Smith was at his scheming best but was rusty with the boot, missing three of six conversions.
Manly handed a long-awaited debut to teenage centre Albert Hopoate, but he was given a rough initiation in marking Olam.
Props Addin Fonua-Blake and Martin Taupau combined close to the line for Manly’s only try after 15 minutes, but several other chances went begging.
Both Brad Parker and and Rueben Garrick dropped the ball over the line which could have evened out the contest.
The loss ended Manly’s chances of playing finals in 2020, which will mark the first time the side has missed playoffs under Des Hasler since 2004.
They will next play Wests Tigers on Saturday, while Melbourne with take on South Sydney at ANZ Stadium on Friday night.
