Craig Bellamy has moved to downplay concerns over Billy Slater's shoulder after the star fullback suffered his third consecutive injury-affected start to a season.
Slater was on Monday ruled out of Melbourne's season-opener against Canterbury in Perth, after he jarred his shoulder in the Storm's World Club Challenge win over Leeds last month.
It marks Slater's third left shoulder injury since 2015. He played just one game in 20 months between June of that year and March 2017 as he underwent two separate reconstructions.
Slater's latest setback at age 34 has prompted fears he could struggle through a one-year deal before deciding whether to play on in 2019.
But Bellamy told Fox League's NRL 360 he was confident the injury wouldn't be an ongoing concern.
"He had a terrible run with that shoulder so he's obviously a little bit more concerned about it than a guy who might have been out for four weeks," Bellamy said.
"We saw last year he worked really hard on his fitness and strength but also getting that shoulder back to as good as it can be.
"I don't think the shoulder injury is going to stop him playing at the end of this year.
"It will be when he is ready to retire on his own teams, when he's not prepared to put the hard work in he's always put in his whole career to play the best footy he can."
Slater got through his first contact session last Friday but pulled up sore, delaying what will be his 300th appearance in the NRL.
But Bellamy said the club were just taking a cautious approach with the veteran.
"They're saying there's not any permanent damage or too bad damage," Bellamy said.
"He jarred it up pretty well apparently.
"We just thought it was better for the team not to take him over there and not guess all week and wait until captain's run. Just make the call now and give him a bit more time to recover."
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