The Melbourne Storm celebrated their sixth victory of the season against the Newcastle Knights on Friday night, but they now face a significant injury setback.
In an official announcement, the team disclosed that winger Xavier Coates will be sidelined for the entirety of 2026, missing the rest of the series.
This absence also means he will not participate in Game 3 of the 2026 State of Origin series for Queensland, nor will he play in the 2026 Rugby League World Cup.
Coates has yet to feature in this year's campaign, with the team reporting that he ruptured his Achilles during a training session on Friday while attempting to return to first-grade action.
Surgery is scheduled for next week to address the injury.
"Melbourne Storm Winger Xavier Coates has suffered a setback in his return to football, rupturing his Achilles at training on Friday," the club stated.