Craig Bellamy has admitted the Storm are looking at an early arrival for Xavier Coates ahead of the August trade deadline.
The Papua New Guinea-born flier has been demoted from Kevin Walters' side for this coming weekend's game against the Penrith Panthers, despite representing Queensland in the State of Origin series just weeks ago.
Instead, Walters has elected to go with both Corey Oates and Jamayne Isaako ahead of his representative winger, who has agreed to a two-year contract with the Storm from the beginning of 2022.
While the Broncos have re-signed plenty, they have also lost plenty, with Coates joining Tevita Pangai Junior, Tom Dearden, Reece Walsh, David Fifita and Matt Lodge who have left the club within the last 12 months or will leave the club at the end of the season.
The axing of Coates caused Bellamy to admit to the media on Thursday that the Storm have looked at Coates arriving early, but was unsure if the Broncos were open to that discussion.
“It’s something we’ve had a look at (bringing him across early), but I don’t know whether the Broncos have put a line through him or not,” Bellamy said.
“If they have, you’d think they wouldn’t be against letting him go early.
“If it happens it happens and if it doesn’t it doesn’t.
“There’s not much we can do about it and it’s up to the Broncos what they do, as he’s a contracted player with them for the rest of the year.”
With Josh Addo-Carr still at the club, and Melbourne's outside backs playing a major role in the club's ridiculous attacking record though, it's not a matter of urgency for the Storm.
Bellamy's side average 37.2 points per game this season and have gone past 40 on 11 occasions, with one of the NRL's most successful clubs currently on an unbelievable winning streak to sit atop the table.
The super coach confirmed it wouldn't be an overly pressing issue for the Storm.
“He’d add a bit of depth to our outside backs and he’d add a bit speed and a bit of size, but at the end of the day we’re not going to concern ourselves too much with something that might not happen or is unlikely to happen,” he said.
“My job is to concern myself with what we’ve got, not what we haven’t got or what we might get or what we’re going to get next year."
Reports earlier this week suggested the Broncos had already put a line through releasing Coates early, with the club reportedly saying he would be in line for a recall should form permit it over the final six weeks of the season.
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Coates will arrive in Melbourne ahead of the 2022 season regardless of where he finishes 2021, and will be expected to replace Addo-Carr, who is moving to the Bulldogs.
The youngster stands at almost two metres tall and undoubtedly has the tools to become an excellent NRL winger, with Bellamy's coaching likely to play a role in him realising his potential over the coming seasons.
The Broncos lost heavily to the Tigers last weekend, prompting calls for Coates to be recalled, however, Walters has elected to stay the course.
With a far more straightforward run home for Brisbane, seeing them play just one more game against a current top-eight team after this weekend in the Roosters, changes may not be that forthcoming if the club begins to string together performances.
