Melbourne Storm provide official injury update on eight players

The Melbourne Storm has provided an injury update on eight players as the club relaxes this week with the bye and won't have to play.

Frank Ponissi, the club's General Manager of Football, has provided an update on the injured octet of Joe Chan, Reimis Smith, Sua Fa'alogo, Cameron Munster, Christian Welch, Ammaron Gudgeon, Bronson Garlick and Nelson Asofa-Solomona.

A late withdrawal from the game against the Newcastle Knights, forward Joe Chan has had surgery for an infection on his hand and is set to be available for selection in Round 5.

However, Sua Fa'alogo is unlikely to return to the team for Round 5 as continues his recovery from an ankle injury he sustained in the NSW Cup.

“He would have played last week against the Knights, but the ankle injury that he sustained for the Bears the week before may keep him out for an extra week. Round six is probably when he'll be back.” Ponissi said.

Yet to play a game this season, star five-eighth Cameron Munster has returned to training and will be back for the Round 5 clash against the Brisbane Broncos on Thursday evening.

“If he can train for the rest of this week and early next week, given it's a Thursday night game, he too will be back for the Broncos game, which will be obviously a huge boost for the team.” Ponissi continued.

While he returned to the football field last weekend with the North Sydney Bears in the NSW Cup after a string of hamstring injuries, Ponissi revealed that Nelson Asofa-Solomona will remain there for the next few weeks.

“He had two stints on Sunday for the Bears, playing 48 minutes in total, which we're really pleased about,” Ponissi added.

“It was difficult for NAS because he didn't even train with the Bears. He just turned up and met his new teammates on Sunday at the stadium.

“He did well under the circumstances just to get 48 minutes out of his first run of the of the season, so it'll hold him in good stead for the next few weeks.”

Ammaron Gudgeon (shoulder) will be available for the club's state cup teams within the next few weeks.

Christian Welch (HIA) passed all HIA requirements and will be available for selection next week.

So should Reimis Smith (ribs) after he did not return to the field against the Knights with club medical staff impressed with his recovery progress so far to date.