Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy is determined not to heap added pressure on Cameron Munster ahead of the NRL finals as the in-demand playmaker weighs up a multimillion-dollar call on his future.
The Storm can sew up a top-four finish with victory over the Sydney Roosters on Friday night or six days later against Parramatta.
But the tough fixtures against finals-bound rivals come with ongoing speculation around Munster lingering over the Storm's latest premiership push.
The Queensland State of Origin representative has been strongly linked with a move to the Dolphins when his contract expires at the end of next season.
Melbourne CEO Justin Rodski and owner Matt Tripp this week met with Munster and agent Braith Anasta, tabling a beefed-up contract offer later labelled "impressive" by Anasta.
Storm coach Bellamy insists he won't get heavily involved, with finals on the horizon.
"I've had a couple of chats with him and I don't want to put any pressure on him, especially now we're getting to the business end of the year," Bellamy told reporters on Thursday.
"He'll make a decision on what's best for him.
"Obviously for me that decision is staying here, but he'll have to make his mind up on that.
"He's been an immense part of our club for a fair while now so hopefully he sees himself fit to stay."
Bellamy insists Munster's contract saga is not a distraction for Melbourne, who are on a four-game winning streak and put 60 points on the board against Brisbane last week.
"For us for planning for the year after next we'd like that decision to come, but at the end of the day I don't see it has to be in too big a rush," Bellamy said.
"We just want him to be playing the best footy he can at this time of the year, just like every other player.
"I don't want to put any pressure on him about stuff that's not concerned with actual footy on the field."
The Storm-Roosters blockbuster serves as a regular-season AAMI Park farewell to Melbourne stalwarts Jesse and Kenny Bromwich, Felise Kaufusi and Brandon Smith, who will all depart at the end of the campaign.
"I don't know about the other players and people at the club but to me it was a bit of a sledgehammer this week," Bellamy said.
"It leaves a bit of a hole for us in terms of experience and leadership with those guys going but that's the way it is.
"They're doing what is best for their family and no one begrudges them that, especially after what they've done for our club."
Kaufusi returns to Melbourne's starting line-up against the sixth-placed Roosters after two games out following the death of his father.
