LeagueNews.co | Jess Malloy
The Melbourne Storm are facing a real headache as the Ryan Papenhuyzen saga worsens, with Sua Fa'alogo now adding to their woes.
Fa'alogo, who had been touted as Papenhuyzen's replacement, suffered a hamstring issue in the Storm's trial-game loss to North Queensland, putting his availability for round one in doubt.
Papenhuyzen, already struggling with ankle and knee niggles, is unlikely to take the field against Parramatta in the opener, but the round two bye could give him a chance to recover.
Meanwhile, Fa'alogo's early exit from the game and subsequent hamstring icing has raised concerns about his fitness.
While the Storm downplayed Fa'alogo's injury as mere 'tightness', there is a chance they may err on the side of caution.
With both Papenhuyzen and Fa'alogo facing uncertainties, coach Craig Bellamy is left juggling his options.
Fa'alogo's defensive lapses in the game against the Cowboys have added to the Storm's worries.
Although explosive with the ball, his vulnerabilities in defence were exposed, leaving the team vulnerable to opposition attacks.
With their two star fullbacks in doubt, the Storm are facing a tough decision as they head into the new season.
The pressure is on to find solutions and shore up their backline before the competition kicks off.