LeagueNews.co | Cooper McEnroe
NRL 2024: Cameron Munster cautious of Melbourne Storm shake-ups
A seasoned Melbourne Storm star is treading carefully as he gears up for a return to the starting line-up, mindful of past missteps in the season before.
Cameron Munster, the crafty playmaker, is eager to steer clear of a repeat of the Storm's fumbled 2021 finals campaign as he prepares to take the field once again on Saturday.
Munster, set to don the No.
6 jersey in the upcoming showdown against St George Illawarra, admits he's feeling a bit "duck-like" as he braces himself for upcoming hip surgery at season's end.
The 29-year-old revealed that the troublesome groin issue that sidelined him for 11 long weeks, throwing a wrench into his State of Origin plans, has eased up since his return off the bench in last week's triumph over Parramatta.
Despite Storm's impressive form in his absence, comfortably perched atop the leaderboard, Munster is wary of upsetting team dynamics upon his return to the pivotal five-eighth position.
Haunted by the memories of the Storm's near miss in the 2021 campaign, where they clinched the minor premiership only to be thwarted by Penrith in the preliminary final, Munster remains vigilant.
"We faced a similar scenario in 2021 when Paps (Ryan Papenhuyzen) went down with an injury and Nicho (Hynes) stepped up and delivered stellar performances," Munster reflected, mindful of the risks of disrupting a winning formula.