Melbourne Storm winger Xavier Coates has been ruled out of Saturday night’s match against South Sydney, with coach Craig Bellamy confirming the Queensland speedster will be managed following his State of Origin appearance.
Coates becomes the first confirmed Origin absentee for the Storm, while decisions on fellow representative players will be left until the eleventh hour as the club balances recovery and performance.
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“Xavier won’t be playing”
Speaking to reporters on Friday morning, Bellamy was clear about Coates’ omission while keeping his cards close to his chest regarding the rest of the squad.
“Xavier won’t be playing, the rest of them, we’ve left them alone a little bit,” he said. “I’m pretty sure [Cam Munster] will play, but the rest of them we’ll see how they come up tonight and go from there.”
Clubs across the NRL are taking varied approaches this week as they assess the toll of Wednesday’s Origin contest at Optus Stadium. While no major injuries were reported, the short turnaround and heavy workload remain key considerations.
Coates’ absence could open the door for Sua Faalogo to slot into the starting side, but Bellamy said a final call will come closer to kick-off as medical and coaching staff continue to monitor players’ readiness.