Melbourne Storm skipper Cam Smith has stayed fit while in isolation, but admits the true test will be when training starts on Wednesday

Melbourne Storm players craved a sense of ‘normality’ which came when they were able to return to AAMI Park for the first time in six weeks. But there was nothing normal about what greeted them at their home base.

Cameron Smith returned to AAMI Park on Monday. Picture: Getty Images

Melbourne Storm skipper Cameron Smith expects his teammates to be in top nick when they resume training for the first time in six weeks on Wednesday.

Smith, who last month urged the NRL to suspend the competition in order to take stock of coronavirus, will join 49 Storm players and officials in moving across the New South Wales border to Albury today to resume training.

He said he had managed to keep his fitness in “not too bad” shape over the last six weeks, but Wednesday would be the true test of that.

“You really wouldn’t know until we start getting back into some sort of proper training or even games,” he said.

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A bearded Cameron Smith returned to the club on Monday. Picture: Jason Edwards

“I’ve been following our training program … I’d like to think and I’d probably go as far to say that I’d expect everyone to be in some pretty decent condition physically when we start training again.”

The NRL has set a target date of May 28 for the season to resume, which Smith conceded was still a sense of “hoping” rather than anything certain.

“I know we’ve set a date and we’re all striving to have it back,” he said.

“It’s what we do. It’s our job. So we want to be back working and we want to be back providing people with entertainment.”

Smith said to return to AAMI Park on Monday for the first time in almost six weeks had restored a sense of “normality”.

Strict social distancing measures were in place at AAMI Park on Monday. Picture: Getty Images

But there was nothing normal about what greeted players and officials on Olympic Boulevard.

The club obtained a special exemption from the state government to hold a biosecurity education session before the club prepares to move its training to Albury to comply with coronavirus measures.

Strict social distancing meant all attendees lined up 1.5 metres apart to enter, with health officials greeting them at the door for assessment.

All players and officials passed the health checks and will travel to Albury Tuesday, with only two people permitted per vehicle.

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