Sims finding fitness and form at right time for injury-hit Storm

Storm coach Craig Bellamy will look to Tariq Sims to provide some big game experience as he prepares to face Sydney Roosters in Friday night’s semi-final without star halfback Jahrome Hughes.

The Kiwi international did not train with the team during Thursday’s captain’s run at Gosch’s Paddock and Bellamy admitted he was “unlikely” to play due to a calf injury.

Tyran Wishart spent most of the session alongside Cameron Munster in the halves after he and Jonah Pezet had shared the halfback duties at training on Tuesday.

“We have got a couple of other options we can use but he has done most of the training there,” Bellamy said of Wishart.

The inclusion of Wishart would mean Bellamy is relying on two Gerringong products who have played bit parts during the Storm’s 2023 campaign to take on key roles after an up and down season for Sims.

The former NSW Origin second-rower moved to Melbourne this season from the Dragons but injuries have limited him to just 13 NRL appearances so far for his new club.

However, Bellamy said Sims was now hitting form and fitness at the right end of the season and would boost Melbourne’s forward stocks.

“He was always behind the eight ball early in the season,” Bellamy said. “He probably had the less amount of pre-season of anyone in our club, because he just kept getting injured.

“He had a couple of calf injuries, and he had a shoulder injury, and then he had another calf injury, so he didn't really get the preparation for the season that you want.

“Obviously he's an experienced player so he's had plenty of pre-seasons but his preparation for the season wasn't good at all.

“It's taken a little while to get there, but we're thinking that he's finding his feet and his best now and hopefully his experience might help us on Friday night as well.”

After losing the Bromwich brothers, Jesse and Kenny, to the Dolphins, along with second-rower Felise Kaufusi, and Kiwis hooker Brandon Smith having joined the Roosters, the experience in the Storm side has dropped significantly this season.

“Our team has basically been young all year,” Bellamy said.

“We lost a lot of experience in our team last year, so we knew that there was going to be a certain period at different times with a lot of the young blokes or a lot of guys that haven’t played a lot of first grade coming into the team. I think they done a really good job during the season.”

The recall of PNG centre Justin Olam and New Zealand international Reimis Smith after stints in Queensland Cup will also boost the experience in the Storm team against the Roosters.

“They bring a bit of experience, and it wasn’t easy to leave them out, to be quite honest, because they've done such a good job over a long period of time but I just felt it needing doing,” Bellamy said.

“They have been playing pretty good up in Queensland. There were a couple of things they needed to get better at, so they have gone up there and worked on that.

"They will be excited about tomorrow night and having that experience will be good.”