Melbourne Storm will give centre Curtis Scott every chance to return from an ankle injury when they face Gold Coast at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night.
Scott, who injured his ankle in the Anzac Day clash with New Zealand Warriors two weeks ago, missed the loss to St George-Illawarra on Sunday and the Storm made it clear they wouldnt rush him back until he could prove his fitness.
The Storm named Scott in his usual centre role when they released their 23-man squad on Tuesday, with Papua New Guinea centre Justin Olam back among the reserves after making his NRL debut in place of Scott last round.
Curtis Scott is tackled during the Storm's Anzac Day match against New Zealand.
Photo: AAP
Potential New South Wales lock Dale Finucane has also been named as a starter against the Titans after he came off the bench last round in his return from thumb surgery.
Scotts return looks to be the only potential change for the Storm who appear poised to back their side to correct the competitions issues which marred their attack in the 34-14 loss to the Dragons.
Advertisement
Storm veteran Ryan Hoffman said bad completion rates forced the side into more time defending and contributed to every loss they have had in 2018.
"We turned over way too much ball and that's been a common thread after a loss," Hoffman said on Tuesday morning.
"If you look at the stats we had to make a hell of a lot more tackles than them but that was all our own doing.
"It's disappointing, but we need to see it as a bit of a blip so we need to refocus ourselves."
The Titans have regularly troubled the Storm in recent years regardless of their place on the ladder and this years side have struggled with injuries and form but will offer a big challenge.
The Storms visit to Suncorp Stadium is for the annual NRL double-header at the ground with Manly and Brisbane playing in the second game.
The Titans swung the changes in selection on Tuesday with outside back Dale Copley attempting to return from injury and hooker Nathan Peats (ribs) in the 23-man squad as he closes in on a return.
"It's an interesting fixture with us taking our home game up there," Hoffman said.
"We're not going to take their form into account, just as I'm sure they won't either.
"It's a matter of focusing on our own performances and tidying up the things we didn't do well last week."
While winger Josh Addo-Carr is firming as a candidate to come into the New South Wales side for State of Origin, Finucane remains an outsider. But with three games until the team is picked Hoffman backed his teammate to push for a place.
“If you want a typical Origin player than that's Dale,” the past New South Wales player said.
“Unfortunately that broken thumb might have set back a few weeks but I think he'd be a fantastic player for the Blues.
“The form he's shown for the last four years has shown he can do the job.”
Storm play the Titans at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday at 5.30pm.
Comments disabled
Roy Ward is a Sports writer for The Age.
Morning & Afternoon Newsletter
Delivered Mon–Fri.
