25/07/2009 8:38 PM
Melbourne has suffered three significant blows ahead of its Saturday night clash with Cronulla at Olympic Park, losing Greg Inglis, Ryan Hoffman and Dallas Johnson to injury.
And the Sharks have also been forced into a late change with Anthony Tupou, who was named at lock earlier in the week, ruled out by a hamstring injury and replaced in the starting 13 by Johnny Mannah, with Bryan Norrie added to the bench.
Inglis returned from State of Origin duties with Queensland last week with a groin injury but played the following Monday night in the 18-16 loss to the Eels at Parramatta Stadium, while Hoffman and Johnson both broke down in the same game.
Hoffman, who scored the Storm's first try of the game early in the second half, failed to complete the match after suffering a hamstring strain, while Johnson sustained a neck injury, and neither has come up in time to face the Sharks.
The injured trio are all expected to return next week along with winger Steve Turner, who is battling a foot injury, while Anthony Quinn also remains unavailable with a neck ailment.
In better news, skipper and hooker Cam Smith returns from a shoulder injury he suffered in Origin III and his back-up Ryan Hinchcliffe is also back after serving a one-match suspension while Brett Finch returns after recovering from a collapsed lung.
Brett Anderson has come into the team for Inglis and Hep Cahill is included along with Matt Cross, with the changes also forcing a reshuffle that sees Cross, Scott Anderson and Aiden Tolman in the starting 13 and Adam Blair dropping back to the bench.
Sitting fourth on the ladder on 25 points, the Storm can stretch their lead over the fifth-placed Knights to three points and also stay in touch with the Bulldogs and Titans who are second and third respectively on 28 points.