Melbourne Storm’s push for the NRL finals has suffered a major setback, with star five-eighth Cameron Munster expected to miss at least four to six weeks following knee surgery.
The Storm confirmed that Munster will undergo an operation after suffering a cartilage injury. The rehabilitation timeline could keep the 31-year-old sidelined for the remainder of the regular season and potentially affect his availability if Melbourne qualifies for the finals.
Munster was rested from Melbourne’s recent match against the Gold Coast Titans after playing all 15 club games for which he had been available this season, as well as Queensland’s three State of Origin matches.
Tyran Wishart replaced the Queensland captain in the number-six jersey and is considered the leading option to retain the role when Melbourne faces the Sydney Roosters on Friday night.
The Storm remain in finals contention after securing a dramatic 22–18 victory over the Titans through a late Nick Meaney try. The result marked Melbourne’s 500th NRL win since entering the competition in 1998.
However, a seven-match losing streak earlier in the season has left the Storm in 10th position with 20 competition points, four points outside the top eight. Melbourne has six regular-season matches and a bye remaining as it attempts to recover and secure a finals berth without one of its most influential playmakers.
