As the Melbourne Storm nervously await the results of scans on Jahrome Hughes’ dislocated shoulder, there’s good news and there’s bad news for Craig Bellamy.
Should the reigning Dally M Medalist be set for a stint on the NRL sidelines as feared, it’s an unwanted blow to the club’s chances of going one better than 2024 where they fell to Penrith in the final game of the season.
But the statistics show it could be far, far worse.
For all of Hughes’ undeniable influence on the field, the talent-laden Storm squad has shown remarkable resilience in the kiwi’s absence in the past—such is the depth of their roster and the quality of Craig Bellamy’s system.
MORE: Jahrome Hughes suffers dislocated shoulder as Melbourne's premiership hopes take major hit
What happens to the Storm when Jahrome Hughes doesn’t play?
With 13 wins from 18 games so far in 2025 the Storm currently boasts a win rate of 76 percent, a number that dips only slightly without Hughes to 72 percent.
During his Dally M winning season last year, Hughes steered the Storm to a lofty 87 percent win rate—but again the figure only dipped slightly, 80 percent, in his absence.
In the 2023 and 2021 seasons, the Storm’s win rate actually improved when Hughes didn’t play.
Next man up.
Storm captain Harry Grant stepped up in the 34-30 win over the Roosters, delivering one of his best games of the season to fill the gaping void left by both Hughes and five-eighth Cameron Munster.
Next Thursday night when the Storm play the Eels in Round 22, someone else will likely get an opportunity to do the same.
“No one wants to lose their halfback and he (Hughes) is a massive part of our footy team,” Craig Bellamy said after the Roosters victory.
“At the end of the day, we’ll give someone else a chance.”
Next man up, indeed.