Melbourne's preparation for their NRL clash with the Sydney Roosters is in disarray with their forward stocks decimated and a number of their Origin stars under injury clouds.
Storm players will come up against their former halfback Cooper Cronk for the first time in the clash at Adelaide Oval as coach Craig Bellamy manages an extended squad.
Veteran fullback Billy Slater may miss the game for the Storm due to his ongoing hamstring issues while fellow rep players Cameron Munster, Felise Kaufusi and Josh Addo-Carr are all carrying ankle injuries that may keep them out of the match.
They will train on Friday in Adelaide in their first session of the week before a final decision is made.
"There's a few with bumps and bruises and there's a couple who might not play," Bellamy said.
"We've been on the conservative side with Billy so we will stay with that if we have to but if he thinks he can get through the 80 minutes then he will play."
But it's the front row that has Bellamy most concerned with news that hard-hitting recruit Sam Kasiano is out for up to 10 weeks after rupturing his PCL.
Wrecking ball Nelson Asofa-Solomona still hasn't arrived back in Australia following New Zealand's Test in the US due to flight delays while other frontline players Jesse Bromwich and Dale Finucane are sidelined with injury.
Pat Kaufusi, the younger brother of Felise, is set to make his Storm debut.
"We've got a few issues at the moment so Nelson's a fairly important part of our team as everyone can see so not to have him back because he can't get a plane back isn't ideal," Bellamy said.
"We're not quite sure where he is in the world at the moment."
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