Another injury hits Storm's campaign
Melbourne may be forced to blood a new forward for their NRL finals campaign after yet another serious injury in their engine room.
The Storm crushed the Sydney Roosters 38-4 in their Olympic Park farewell, with superstar centre Greg Inglis scoring two tries in his return to football after he was stood down following his charge for assault.
But the win came at a price, with starting prop Scott Anderson the latest casualty.
The former Gold Coast junior suffered a hamstring tear to sit on the sidelines alongside New Zealand Test props Jeff Lima (broken thumb) and Sika Manu (broken leg), as well Matt Cross (broken leg) and backrower Kevin Proctor (broken ankle).
Lima, Proctor and Anderson could return this year depending on how the Storm's finals campaign progresses, but the rest are season-ending injuries.
Coach Craig Bellamy has already promoted journeyman Ryan Tandy from their Central Coast feeder club for the past two games, but Anderson's absence could have him searching further afield.
"We're running short of troops in the forwards with Ando doing his hamstring, I'm not sure where that leaves us number-wise, we're getting very skinny," Bellamy said.
"We'll have to find another front-rower from somewhere but I think they've just about run out.
"There's only so many guys you can have in the squad and we seem to be getting injuries in or around the same position.
"I thought the blokes who came in, Wairangi Koopu and Ryan Tandy, did a good job so we'll find someone else to come into the team and I'm sure they'll be keen and the guys will embrace him and make sure he fits in with what we're doing."
Anderson will undergo scans on his hamstring tear on Monday but is expected to miss at least a fortnight, while Lima and Anderson will have a review with their surgeons this week.
"Hand fractures heal really quickly so we'll wait and see what the surgeon says," Storm physio Mary Toomey said of Lima.
"He could be back playing a week or so after that."
Toomey said Proctor's return from his broken ankle had been delayed after he suffered a back injury while completing alternate training.
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