Only a rejuvenating trip to Fiji stopped Cameron Munster from throwing in the towel as he bravely battled back through groin and hip issues, with the Melbourne Storm star now declaring he’s “ready to go.”
Munster, 29, will need post-season surgery to help him truly overcome the brutal injuries that have kept him sidelined from both the Storm’s NRL campaign and State of Origin for much of 2024.
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There was a time Munster nearly pulled the trigger early though, admitting he became so frustrated he was on the the verge of telling the doctors to do the surgery and writing off 2024 altogether. “For probably eight weeks there, I had enough. I wasn’t getting any better,” he said. “Then I went away to Fiji and it felt really good. I was a bit surprised, but I’ve had no issues since.”
“I’ll come in (to the finals) feeling good mentally and physically, which is ideal,” he added.
There was a bonus to all the fighting he had to do in the recovery rooms, the physio tables, and separate at trainings: His body is now feeling as good as it has in some seasons now, which shapes very well for the Storm’s finals chances.
“I think missing out of that Origin series might have been a blessing in disguise,” Munster mused. “Last couple of years have probably be a little bit flat going into the finals, so feeling fresh, ready to go.”
Woe be to the teams Melbourne come up against in the finals now too, with Munster—who got through 80 minutes as the Storm demolished the Cronulla Sharks 37-10 on Saturday—licking his lips at the chance to win the premiership with this group of players he’s helped build alongside Craig Bellamy.
“I’m excited. I know I’ve had the luxury of having winning two and having that feeling, and we’ve got a great opportunity for this squad to able to do that,” he said. “It’s a driving factor to win one without those three [Smith, Slater and Cronk] and to say I’ve had a chance to win it with some other guys. But for me to be able to do that, I need to play some good footy in finals and be able to steer the team with Hughesy [Jahrome Hughes] to get that opportunity.”
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Munster and his Melbourne squad, including red-hot Dally M favourite Hughes, now get a week off before they’ll play the Roosters, Bulldogs, or Sea Eagles in the preliminary final.
