Prop Jason Ryles’ only goal when he came to Melbourne Storm was to play NRL finals football and he’s not about to let that chance slip against Manly on Friday night.

Ryles is set to overcome a hamstring issue to line up for the Storm in their preliminary final at AAMI Park, returning after a month out of the game.

The 32-year-old missed his first roll of the dice when the injury kept him out of Melbourne’s qualifying final romp over Souths and he said he wasn’t prepared to let another opportunity go by.

“I was very, very close to playing against the Rabbitohs but it was too big a risk from the medical staff’s point of view – if it was my decision I probably would have played,” Ryles said on Tuesday.

“I didn’t come here for any other reason … this (finals) is obviously the reason anyone plays rugby league at any club and I saw a good opportunity here to do it.”

Despite his lengthy absence from the playing field, Ryles said the fact he wouldn’t have to play for 80 minutes meant his fitness wasn’t an issue.

Coach Craig Bellamy also had faith in Ryles, who he lured to the club after he was cut after two seasons with the Sydney Roosters, playing in their losing grand final side in 2010.

“It will be a month Friday since he’s played a game so that’s a fair time and it’s a long time for a bigger guy not to have played,” Bellamy said.

“Having said that I think he’s 38 or something so he’s obviously been through these types of situations before and experience really helps with guys who have been out injured for a little while.

“They know what to expect and they seem to come back a little bit better than some of the younger guys.”

Ryles laughed at his coach’s exaggeration of his age, although with a nine-week-old daughter Giselle, he said he sometimes felt that old.

With stints also at St George Illawarra and French Super League club Catalans Dragons, his curiosity about Melbourne’s perpetual success was a reason for the move south but Ryles said there was no magic formula.

“They keep it very simple and everyone’s role’s important at every stage of the game and that’s emphasised every single week.

“The way they play is very simple but everyone does their role and then the big boys can score a try.

“It’s a team effort.”