Eighty minutes away from playing in back-to-back NRL Grand Finals, the Melbourne Storm could potentially receive a massive boost ahead of their preliminary final match.
Fresh off defeating the Canterbury Bulldogs to kick off the 2025 NRL Finals series, Storm halfback and 2024 Dally M Medal winner Jahrome Hughes is a "slight chance" to make his return to the field in two weeks' time.
Suffering a fractured forearm last week, reports emerged that Hughes was in doubt for the remainder of the season. However, he is in line for a shock return to the field.
"The medical team's given me a slight chance," the Storm halfback said on Channel Nine.
"I'm holding on to a very little bit of a chance and we'll see how we go.
"It wasn't ideal breaking my forearm in my first game back but the medical team have given me a slight chance to play the prelim and even the grand final.
"I'll be doing everything I can to get back out there."
The update on Hughes comes as the Storm will also receive fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen (concussion), but from injury, while Joe Chan will also be available despite failing his HIA on Friday evening.
If available, he will replace Jonah Pezet in the halves despite the young gun being one of the best performers on the field against the Bulldogs and creating a lethal combination with Cameron Munster in the halves.
"That was probably the best game I've ever played in. When Hughesy went down last Thursday, they were like 'we're pretty sure' and then Bellza [Craig Bellamy] rang me on Sunday night," Pezet told the television broadcast.
"I said 'of course I want to do it' and it was a really cool phone call. I got a good two days in at training, a bit of a smoke and mirrors all week, which was sweet.
"I knew my job and he gives a lot of confidence in me and guys like Harry [Grant] and Mun [Cameron Munster] provide the same."
