Melbourne's backline stars Cameron Munster, Brodie Croft and Will Chambers were high profile absentees from the Storm's first grand final training session on Monday.
While prop Tim Glasby successfully passed a fitness test on his rib cartilage injury, Craig Bellamy's first-choice halves pairing of Croft and Munster was kept on ice, as both players managed knocks and niggles from last Friday's physical win over Cronulla.
The Storm are adamant neither playmaker is in any doubt, while the club's medical staff told NRL.com Chambers was resting to look after the ACL rupture he first suffered in 2008.
Chambers is known to often sit out training sessions early in the week in his ongoing rehabilitation from the 10-year old injury.
The 30-year-old warmed up with his teammates before getting his left knee strapped, and then calling it quits on the session 15 minutes later.
All three key men are expected back on the paddock for Wednesday's full team hit-out before flying to Sydney, along with Glasby.
The Newcastle-bound front-rower completed a short fitness test away from the main training group at Gosch's Paddock after managing only 22 minutes against the Sharks.
Both Billy Slater and Jahrome Hughes trained during the field session, with Slater to travel to Sydney on Tuesday for the judiciary hearing that will determine if he has played his NRL game in a glittering career.
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Hughes is Slater's likely fullback replacement should he fail to overturn a one-game shoulder charge ban that threatens his grand final swansong, though Hughes trained in the halves alongside fellow back-up Ryley Jacks in the absence of Croft and Munster.
It goes without saying that Slater is irreplaceable in the purple No.1, but in Hughes and fellow youngster Scott Drinkwater, the club boasts a couple of more than handy back-ups.
Hughes is the front-runner given he deputised soundly for Slater throughout the Origin period, with centre Curtis Scott backing both Hughes and Drinkwater should they be called upon against the Roosters.
"They're really exciting young players coming in," Scott told NRL.com.
"Hughesy's played a couple of games, and played unreal against the Dragons. He's played a lot of footy against the Roosters as well.
"He's one of those players that doesn't shy away from a big game, and he backs himself. Whoever comes into the side will do an unreal job."
Elsewhere retiring veteran Ryan Hoffman ran with the Storm's reserves grade contingent, having sat out their last two games at the expense of utility option Brandon Smith.
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