Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy has confirmed Jahrome Hughes will miss more than just a week after suffering a hamstring problem.
The halfback was not selected by Melbourne when its team was announced for this weekend's clash with the Manly Sea Eagles, with the club then revealing he had suffered a "low grade hamstring strain".
That generally carries a return timeline of between one and three weeks, but Bellamy indicated it could well take longer than that, with the club now not expecting him to play against the Gold Coast Titans in Round 19.
"He's going to miss a little while. It would be nice if it was only a week. We have a bye next week, so that sort of helps a bit, but I think he will be a bit longer than that," Bellamy said on Friday morning at a media opportunity following the club's captain's run.
That would leave Hughes a chance of returning for a crunch game on the road in Round 20 against the Sydney Roosters.
In the meantime, Tyran Wishart will take over the club's number seven jumper, with Bellamy hopeful of him stepping up.
"Tyran Wishart gets his chance," he said. "He sees himself as his best position at halfback, he has played everywhere for us and done a great job, but that's what he sees as his best position so he will get his opportunity."
Wishart has had limited opportunities at halfback before, and will look to push a case over the coming weeks that it could be his long-term jersey when he joins the Perth Bears at the start of the 2027 season.
