Storm coach Craig Bellamy says Cameron Munster and Jahrome Hughes need time to gel after injury return

There’s a key reason why Melbourne Storm suffered a shock loss last week and coach Craig Bellamy has identified what needs to happen.

Storm leaders Jahrome Hughes, Harry Grant and Cameron Munster are looking to bounce back. Picture: Josh Chadwick/Getty Images

Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy is hopeful his star-studded spine will be “better for the run” after starting together for the first time since May in last week’s shock loss to St George Illawarra.

A tough run of away games begins for the ladder leaders against South Sydney on Thursday night and Bellamy is hopeful last week’s 80-minute reunion for star playmakers Cameron Munster and Jahrome Hughes helped them work through the kinks after a long spell apart.

Munster started in the No.6 jersey for the first time since Magic Round, having missed six matches and the entire State of Origin series with an injury that will require surgery at the end of the season.

Bellamy said his key men, including fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen, weren’t “on the same page” in the 18-16 loss to the Dragons and was hopeful they will gel more not only against the Rabbitohs but in the run to the finals.

“They probably weren’t quite, at times, on the same page,” he said on Wednesday.

“And that’s natural with how much (Munster) hasn’t played this year and, Paps (Ryan Papenhuyzen) has been out a little bit as well.

Cameron Munster was rusty in his return against St George Illawarra. Picture: Josh Chadwick/Getty Images

“The more games they play together, obviously, the better that those combinations are going to be and hopefully they’ll be better for the run last week.”

Bellamy said the Storm “got what we deserved” against the Dragons and conceded the closeness of the competition in 2024 meant that “any team can beat any other team on any given day”.

That includes the Rabbitohs, who may be 15th on the ladder but have won six of their past eight games and always remain a threat, particularly with Melbourne coming off a five-day break.

“I know the table positions are a lot different, but as I said, we’re always that mentality and I think it’s a genuine reality that anyone can beat anyone in this competition,” he said.

“I know they certainly have a lot of good players there, a lot of players that can be really dangerous.”

The South Sydney clash is the first of four Thursday night games for Storm in the final five rounds, and while the consistency works for Bellamy, the fact only one of them at home is an issue.

“If there was a few more of them at home it wouldn’t be too bad,” he said.

Storm coach Craig Bellamy has a healthy respect for Souths despite their lowly ladder position. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

“Thursday nights, I suppose, is, given the given the seven-day turnaround, pretty good if you can do that consistently.

“But obviously with the one in the middle, we’ll get another short turnaround.

“At the end of the day, you know when you’re playing and you know what sort of break you’ve got, so we’ve all got systems in how we want to handle that best, and we’re the same as everybody else.

“There’s really no excuses.”

Originally published as Storm coach Craig Bellamy says Cameron Munster and Jahrome Hughes need time to gel after injury return