Coming off representing Australia at the 2024 Pacific Championships, Melbourne Storm star winger Xavier Coates has sustained a minor injury at training, sending scares through the club's camp.
In a video obtained byย The Sydney Morning Herald, Coates was seen exiting the training field in the back of a medi-cab with his right ankle being attended to.
Despite the use of the medi-cab, it is understood that the severity of the injury is only minor and the vehicle was only used to get him from the training field to the club's headquarters with ease, per The Herald.
Club officials later confirmed to the publication that he would not participate in either of the two NRL Pre-Season Challenge matches but is expected to be available for their opening-round clash against the Parramatta Eels on March 9.
If Coates ends up being unavailable for the first match of the season, Sua Fa'alogo is likely to be the frontrunner to replace him.
Other options include Dean Ieremia, Grant Anderson, Marion Seve and New Zealand rugby sevens recruit Moses Leo.
At only 23, Coates has made 54 appearances for the Storm since arriving from the Brisbane Broncos and has continually been one of their most consistent performers, cementing a regular spot in the QLD Maroons teams over the past five years.
No stranger to injuries, he missed a significant portion of last season due to a hamstring issue but fortunately returned before the NRL Finals series.
One win away from clinching the 2024 NRL Premiership, Coates and the Storm will again be one of the favourites to dethrone the Penrith Panthers and beat them in the Grand Final for the first time in half a decade.
โI think the Storm win this year, and had Nelson played in last year's grand final, they win [in 2024],โ Immortal and Team of the Century halfback Andrew Johns toldย SMH.
โThey have the best spine in the comp โ Harry Grant, Cam Munster, Ryan Papenhuyzen and Jahrome Hughes โ and if they're at full strength at the end of this year, I can't see anyone beating them.
โThey will also have the one-two punch with Stefano and Nelson. Look at Glenn Lazarus and what he did when he went from Canberra to Brisbane. He helped turn them around. Front-rowers are so important.
โThe Storm say it takes players two off-seasons to get up to speed [with their systems], so Stefano might even need this year, he will still kill it this year, then next year is the time he explodes.โ
