The Maroons' loss is Melbourne's gain with the Storm expecting big things from their skipper Cameron Smith in Sunday's NRL clash with Brisbane.
Announcing his retirement from representative football in the lead-up to Wednesday night's State of Origin, Smith has spent the week focused on the Storm rather than Queensland.
"That's a luxury we haven't had for 15 years," said Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy.
"We want to make use of that ... and he's been great and has been a big part of our meetings and training.
"Sometimes when he comes back from Origin he's probably been a bit tired."
Bellamy believed that Smith had made the right call in stepping down from Origin because he didn't miss being a part of the Maroons campaign or playing in the MCG game.
"I'm thinking with his mood that he's dead-set made the right decision for himself and he's very content with that," Bellamy said.
Of their Origin quartet the Storm will be without Will Chambers, who was suspended for the AAMI Park clash on a dangerous contact charge.
Bellamy said Justin Olam and 2016 premiership player Cheyse Blair, who has battled a number of injuries in the past two seasons, were in the frame to replace him.
Jahrome Hughes will replace fullback Billy Slater, who missed Origin with a hamstring injury.
The Broncos also have four players backing up, with centre James Roberts the only appearing to be in doubt after sitting out their captain's run.
Bellamy said Josh Addo-Carr, who was part of the triumphant NSW line-up, had returned to the squad in great spirits while the Queensland players were mentally down.
"Josh came bounding in on Thursday after the game while the Queensland boys came in kicking cans but that's what you'd expect.
"They will just need to get over that and probably the sooner they play the better.
"We also need to see how they pull up today after training as they've got some bumps and bruises."
The teams sit in a top eight ladder log-jam with Bellamy expecting the Broncos to be an even tougher contest than in their round seven meeting, which Melbourne won 34-20.
Brisbane skipper Darius Boyd will be out to prove a point after being overlooked for Origin after 10 years in the Maroons side.
"They didn't have the start to the season they wanted but in the last four or five weeks they've really played well and got back to playing a competitive and aggressive brand of footy," he said.
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