Cameron Munster stars in relief of Billy Slater as Melbourne down the Gold Coast 34-16

BILLY Slater has succumbed to another injury but the Storm will be sitting pretty so long as they can hold onto Cameron Munster.

NRL : Round 2 , Melbourne Storm v Titans at AAMI Park - Sunday 13th March, Melbourne Storm's Cameron Munster Picture : George Salpigtidis

HAVING made it to within one game of last season’s grand final without their champion fullback, the Melbourne Storm have proven before there is life after Billy Slater.

Now, as Slater prepares to undergo exploratory surgery this week on the chronically injured left shoulder that could keep him out of the game for another extended period, they will have to prove they can do it again.

The initial signs in a mostly impressive 34-16 victory over the Gold Coast Titans at AAMI Park were promising. Particularly the seamless way Slater’s brilliant young understudy Cameron Munster returned to full-back and played a starring role in a rollicking victory.

Cameron Munster starred for the Storm.

Munster’s rampaging second half try was merely the punctuation mark on an excellent performance during which the 21 year-old revelled in the extra space — space which he seemed to miss when moved to the centres for the season-opener against St George-Illawarra to make way for Slater.

But if Munster’s brilliant form was reassuring, the Storm will still be anxious about the extent of Slater’s injury and, most particularly, how long they will have to deal with his absence.

Slater had scans on the injured shoulder after last week’s two point victory over the Dragons during which the champion full-back had appeared to make a successful return.

The Storm concealed Slater’s injury until about an hour before yesterday’s game when they put out a media release stating Slater had ‘’pulled up sore’’ after Monday night’s game. He will have an arthroscopy this week to determine the extent of the damage.

Munster’s immediate impact at full-back was an obvious fillip for the Storm. But over the long haul Slater’s absence could still prove a tough test of their depth.

Munster’s place in the centres was taken by 18 year-old debutant Curtis Scott, the former Cronulla schoolboy prodigy who had been pursued by a dozen NRL clubs before signing with Melbourne.

Melbourne Storm player Cameron Munster is seen in action against the Gold Coast Titans.

Scott had some nervous moments early in his first game. On his first carry he was dragged backwards 10 metres by a pair of Titans tacklers and, soon after, he dropped the ball as the Storm looked to attack.

With Scott seemingly vulnerable, the Titans looked to exploit the Storm’s apparent inexperience on the left side where five-eighth Blake Green and Marika Koroibete appeared, for a time, vulnerable.

The Storm had taken an early lead when Dale Finucane seized on Cameron Smith’s perfectly placed grubber. But when Titans’ half-back Ashley Taylor connected with Tyrone Roberts to score Gold Coast’s first try and centre Nathan Davis exploited those apparent holes in the Storm’s left side defence to score another, suddenly Melbourne was on the back foot.

But the Storm responded strongly, tries by Blake Green and Will Chambers before halftime restoring their lead and seemingly sapping the Titans confidence.

Slater missed yet another match through injury.

Melbourne put on three more unanswered tries in the second half before the Titans could regain their composure. Encouragingly for the home team, Scott became more involved and Munster’s typically barnstorming try ignited the crowd while the Titans looked more like the bedraggled outfit that had struggled for much of last season.

Having endured Slater’s absence, the Storm will take some confidence on their trip to play Wellington next Sunday. But Melbourne — and Queensland — will be hanging on his long-term prognosis.

Only two weeks ago, Slater had been talking confidently about the season ahead. Now his decision to play the opening game after a limited preparation will come under scrutiny.

Originally published as Cameron Munster stars in relief of Billy Slater as Melbourne down the Gold Coast 34-16