Cameron Munster is racing against the NRL finals clock, with his appearance in the Storm-Manly playoffs blockbuster this Thursday night still very much up in the air.
The Storm number six was all smiles at the NRL’s finals media day as he revealed how likely it is he plays Melbourne’s first-up finals clash against Manly, and couldn’t help but throw in a cheeky retirement joke before unveiling the actual road to his return.
“It’s shot, they’re done… I’m retiring!” the Melbourne playmaker laughed, before revealing — in more serious news — that he was still racing the matchday clock.
The real news is a little more serious, however.
Storm football chief Frank Ponissi confirmed on Saturday that Munster had cut his knee against the Eels last round, and had been stitched up that evening, before the injury became infected.
“We had to admit him to hospital on Monday morning, he went to Kawana Hospital, right next to Sunshine Coast Stadium, and he got his knee surgically cleaned and stitched,” Ponissi told Nine. “He ended up spending the night. He had to have a week off doing nothing and keeping it dry.”
The setback has put Munster in doubt for Melbourne’s Manly meeting.
“It’s a long healing process,” he said today. “I could maybe still play on Friday, but we’ll have to wait and see. It’s about a 50/50 call, I think; me and the coaching staff have got to make. [This Friday] we could win, have the week off, or if I play and open it back up again and we lose, and I have to play again the following week… It’s tough.
“Hopefully I can channel some healing powers, get this wound healing up. But, at the end of the day, I’m sure we have enough quality players in the team anyway.”
Munster boasts an incredible record across his NRL campaigns; in his last seven top-flight seasons, the 26-year-old has been in the postseason mix every time.
“In my career with the Melbourne Storm I’ve been very lucky to play in finals every year [since debuting in 2014], and I don’t think I’ve missed a prelim either. Fingers crossed that continues,” the Storm star said.
“I don’t really want to jinx myself this year!
“We really want to get to the grand final, and get the job done.
“There’s a lot of good teams there in the top four, even the Roosters, but we have to beat everyone to win. I’m confident in our playing group, we can get the job done.”
Melbourne come up against a Tom Trbojevic-fuelled Manly on Friday night, with a one-week rest and a trip straight to the preliminary finals the ultimate prize for the two in-form teams of the competition. Last time the two competition heavyweights met, in round 21, the Storm walked away 28–18 victors. Munster iced that game with a try in the 68th minute.
Melbourne’s star six confirmed winger Josh Addo-Carr was also on the verge of return, with the Storms’ electric try-scorer showing “very positive” signs ahead of the Manly match.
