Storm star Xavier Coates ‘looking good’ for first-round battle with Parramatta

Melbourne Storm will be boosted by the return of star winger Xavier Coates for Sunday’s NRL round-one match against Parramatta.

Melbourne Storm is set to benefit from the decision to save representative winger Xavier Coates for Sunday’s NRL round-one clash against Parramatta rather than him returning from an ankle injury in the club’s final pre-season trial.

Queensland and Kangaroos star Coates hurt his ankle at training early last month but Storm officials were always confident he would be fit to take on the Eels this weekend.

Such was Coates’ recovery that fellow Storm winger Will Warbrick believed his teammate could have made his return from injury in Melbourne’s 36-24 trial loss to North Queensland at Casey Fields on February 23.

“Xavier’s looking great,” Warbrick said on Thursday.

“He’s been training really well and he’s obviously done everything that he needs to do in terms of his rehab and looking after his body, and he looks fit and ready to go.

“If he wanted to, he probably could have pushed for that second trial (against North Queensland), but I feel like that extra time allows his body to recover even more, so he’s looking good.”

Xavier Coates has recovered from an ankle injury. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

Warbrick, who will make his 50th NRL appearance on Sunday, also didn’t play in either of the Storm’s pre-season games, but the New Zealander did represent the Maori All-Stars last month against the Indigenous All-Stars in Sydney last month.

“I probably played more minutes than I expected and the game itself was really intense,” he said.

“I didn’t know what to expect, being that it was my first All-Stars game.

“The (Storm) coaches were happy for me to rest up and recover, and just look after the body heading into round one.”

Warbrick said his 50-game NRL milestone had “come around pretty quick”.

“It’s been a great journey so far for me, more than what I’ve ever imagined,” he said.

“I’m really grateful for the experiences and journey I’ve had so far.

“It’s definitely motivated me more to keep pursuing higher representative honours. It’s definitely made me pursue bigger goals, (and) made me more ambitious.”

Despite the Storm losing both of their trials, Warbrick said Melbourne had prepared well for the season-proper.

“As a team I feel like we’ve trained well. It probably hasn’t reflected in the trial matches, but we know the work we’ve put in, and … we’re just excited for Sunday,” he said.

“They (Parramatta) are dangerous. We’re definitely aware that we need to play well.”

Originally published as Storm star Xavier Coates ‘looking good’ for first-round battle with Parramatta