Melbourne Storm second rower Kevin Proctor says he's ready to step into Ryan Hoffman's boots, with his mentor departing at the NRL season end.

The 21-year-old will be among a number of young players who will have to step up for the 2011 campaign, with five from Saturday night's line-up to face the Sharks at AAMI Park leaving Melbourne.

Proctor will come off the bench, but hopes to move into the starting role held by Hoffman, who along with Brett Finch and Jeff Lima will join Super League club Wigan.

As happy as he is for that opportunity, he said the clash with the Sharks will be tinged with sadness as the countdown for many departing players continues.

"It's our second last home game and all the boys were pretty emotional when they told us their news about leaving," Proctor said.

"They'll be trying to make the most of it.

"They want to spend time together and enjoy the last three weeks we've got together."

He said Storm veteran Hoffman had had a big influence on his career.

"Hoffy's helped me out heaps since I came down here in 2008, straight out of school," Proctor said.

"He was helping me with training and all the extras after training and what to do and what not to do.

"It will be sad to see him go, I've looked up to him heaps."

Proctor, contracted until the end of 2011, is the most experienced of seven players remaining from Melbourne's triumphant 2009 Toyota Cup under-20 team.

Coach Craig Bellamy will be looking to those young players, including utility back Gareth Widdop and winger Justin O'Neill, to make an impact in the senior side.

"We've all got to step up and try to fill those boots that the boys have left," Proctor said.

New Zealand-born Proctor, who has declared his allegiance to the Kiwis, said he was looking forward to lining up against Sharks hardman Paul Gallen.

"He goes hard, I like how he plays," he said.

"We played them round one and had a bit of trouble with them at the start, they're a good team with heaps of good names in their forward pack."

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