RedZed Report: Finals Week 1

The fortnightly RedZed Report, bringing you updates direct from Storm HQ about our injury list, club news and all things footy.

Injury Update

Cameron Munster (knee infection)

Sidelined since: Round 25

Munny missed our last regular season game but has been named in the extended squad for our first final.

"He cut his knee in our match against the Eels and we had to admit him to hospital on the Monday morning," football manager Frank Ponissi explained.

"He got his knee surgically cleaned and stitched and then he wasn't able to train all week because he needed to keep it dry.

"He has been named and we’ll give him until the last minute to prove his fitness."

Josh Addo-Carr (hamstring)

Sidelined since: Round 24

Foxx suffered a hamstring injury in our loss to Parramatta and has not been named for Friday night's Qualifying Final.

He is expected to be available in the second week of our finals campaign.

George Jennings (PCL)

Sidelined since: Round 18

George has been named in our extended squad and is expected to play - pending our final training session this week.

Qualifying Final preview

In the opening week of the finals we come up against a red-hot Manly side that pushed us all the way in round 21. With Tom Trbojevic and Daly Cherry-Evans leading the way the Sea Eagles have shown they can score from anywhere on the park.

Manly became the first side since the 2005 Dragons to make the top four after losing their opening five games. 

Club news

Storm secure minor premiership

The club secured its fourth minor premiership in six years in the final round of the regular season.

Craig Bellamy acknowledged the effort required to clinch the JJ Giltinan Shield.

"By Sunday everyone's forgotten about who won the minor premiership - but minor premierships are like premierships, they're hard to win," he said.

"It's a real reward for our club, we've been ultra-consistent."

Storm call in Cam again for first final without Smith since '08

Melbourne have re-enlisted the services of favourite son Cameron Smith as the Storm prepare for their first finals outing without the future Immortal since 2008.

Smith's absence was always going to be felt most in clutch finals games and remains the great unknown for Craig Bellamy's side, given the former captain led Melbourne in 28 straight finals games after his suspension from the 2008 preliminary final and subsequent decider.

With that in mind, Storm powerbrokers called on Smith to deliver his first team address since retiring ahead of Friday's mouth-watering clash against Manly. Read more.