Melbourne’s star fullback Billy Slater is out of the Storm’s round one NRL clash with the Bulldogs due to a shoulder injury.
The 34-year-old was set to play his 300th NRL game in Perth on Saturday night.
The Storm say he has no structural damage in his troublesome shoulder but has had soreness since jarring it in their World Club Challenge win last month.
The 34-year-old completed the team’s full training session last Friday, which included contact, but pulled up sore and given his history of shoulder problems, Slater decided to take a cautious approach.
“While I was very close to playing this weekend, I wanted to ensure I was ready and prepared to step onto the field for an NRL match and for what is a long and rigorous season, taking this precaution is the best course of action,” Slater said in a statement.
Slater is likely to return for their round two clash with Wests Tigers at AAMI Park on March 17.