- Melbourne Storm are rolling the dice with Jahrome Hughes
Footy fans have been left stunned after Melbourne Storm named injured superstar Jahrome Hughes in their squad to take on Cronulla in Friday night’s NRL grand final qualifier.
Hughes has only played one match in the past two months, breaking his arm in a round 27 return from a shoulder dislocation.
But the Dally M Medallist has persuaded coach Craig Bellamy and the Storm’s medical team he is fit for the blockbuster match at AAMI Park as Melbourne chase a berth in consecutive grand finals.
With his arm in a padded brace following surgery, the New Zealand Test No.7 gave his injured arm a searching work-out on Tuesday before getting the green light and being included in the line-up.
Despite the huge news for Storm fans, skipper Harry Grant said Hughes still had a few hurdles ahead.
‘He’s been training pretty well and getting through what he has to do, but he’s still got a fair bit to get through obviously with the week and how it builds and all that kind of stuff,’ Grant said.
Melbourne Storm named injured superstar Jahrome Hughes in their squad to take on Cronulla in Friday night’s NRL grand final qualifier
Hughes (pictured with wife Molly) broke his arm just three weeks ago
Matt Johns described Hughes as ‘a huge X-factor’ on SEN radio.
‘If he takes his place in the side then you’re fairly confident he’s going to get through the 80 minutes,’ he said.
‘From what I hear they’re going to line Nelson (Asofa-Solomona) up against him at training. He’ll have some pretty decent fitness tests going on.’
Footy fans are astonished about the halfback’s return – with many not sure if it will be worth the gamble.
One X user posted: ‘Melbourne Storm are taking a risk that just isn’t worth taking with Jahrome Hughes this Friday night. No way he’s anywhere near ready with his busted shoulder and broken arm. Bad blunder from Bellamy.’
Another wrote: ‘What are the chances 2 weeks post op Jahrome Hughes gets through the game with no issues? Surely that’s not enough time to heal adequately.’
Jonah Pezet, who starred at halfback in Melbourne’s qualifying final win over Canterbury, is ready and waiting should Bellamy make a late switch, with Hughes himself saying he wouldn’t jeopardise his team if he wasn’t 100 per cent.
‘I’m confident … it’s the medical team that’s going to have to see where I’m at, but in saying that I’m not someone that’s going to put the team under pressure by coming back early so I’m going to be making sure I’m right to go,’ Hughes told AAP.
The superstar playmaker has only played one match in the past two months
‘If I’m fully fit I’ll definitely put my hand up but I don’t want to be going in at 50 per cent – it’s not worth it, especially with having someone like Jonah there, being able to fill the void.’
As well as Hughes, fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen has been included after recovering from a head knock that ruled him out of the Bulldogs match.
Second-rower Shawn Blore, who has been sidelined for the past month with a fractured larynx, has been named on the interchange bench with initial fears his season was over.
Melbourne are wary of a Sharks outfit that has won nine of their past 10 matches, thumping minor premiers Canberra in the semi-finals to send them packing from the premiership race.
Grant said Cronulla may have been ‘flying under the radar’ heading into the finals but they had made a statement with their recent form.
‘They’re such a star-studded team – big powerful outside backs, powerful forwards and just their spine just combining and really creating off the back of that,’ he said.
‘They’re playing some really good footy and they have been for a long period of time.
‘They probably flew under the radar … and sometimes that’s a good thing as you just knuckle down and get about your business and I think they’ve really done that this season, so we’re expecting a firing Sharks team.’
