Melbourne's injured trio have declared they expect to be fit for the NRL grand final, despite leaving Craig Bellamy with regret after their win over the Sydney Roosters.
But the Storm received a hammer blow on Saturday ahead of next Sunday's decider, with prop Nelson Asofa-Solomona slapped with a four-game ban for his high tackle on Lindsay Collins.
Barring a shock at the judiciary, the charge is set to leave them without their most intimidating middle after his return to form in recent months.
But while Melbourne are able to relax through Saturday night's other preliminary final between Penrith and Cronulla, there are other headaches looming for the Storm in grand-final week.
Centre Nick Meaney failed to finish Friday night's 48-18 win over the Sydney Roosters with a knee complaint, while Harry Grant finished with a sore calf.
Both will be sent for scans over the weekend.
Dally M favourite Jahrome Hughes also left the field late in Friday night's 48-18 win over the Roosters with neck soreness, after similar issues in his past three matches.
Bellamy apologised to both Hughes and Grant for not pulling them off the field early on Friday night, fearing he had left them susceptible to the injuries.
But Hughes insisted after the game he did not foresee any issues ahead of the decider.
"I've done something to my neck a couple of weeks ago. But it's no dramas, I should be right," Hughes said.
"I did it in the (round-27) Broncos game, that was the first time I felt it.
"I was able to get movement in it the next couple of days and play the week after. It goes away after a couple of days, so hopefully it is the same this time.
"I was always going to come out (in the second half on Friday). It was just if the doc or physio wanted me to come off. I thought I was sweet."
Grant also confirmed after the loss his calf was "tight", but was confident he would have no issue managing it smartly in the next week.
The hooker showed no sign of having his game hindered on Friday night, with four try assists and 31 tackles in the win.
Meaney's injury therefore appears at risk of being the most serious, with initial fears he had hurt his PCL when he left the field late.
But the goal-kicking centre was hopeful afterwards he had not suffered any damage to his knee.
"I got a cork above the knee, and then I was cramping up in the calf," Meaney told AAP.
"So I think it just locked up at the back. I didn't feel an incident or anything like that, so that's positive. It's just quite tight.
"I was a bit worried about it at first. But talking to the physios and doctors just gave me reassurance that I don't think anything has happened."
Hughes' injury concerns headline what is likely to be a gigantic week for the halfback.
His career-best form has the Storm clicking ahead of the grand final, while a colossal battle looms in the decider against one of Nathan Cleary or Nicho Hynes.
Hughes has also done his best to shy away from talk of becoming only the second New Zealand halfback to win the Dally M, after Gary Freeman in 1992.
"I think (James Tedesco) is going to win it. Teddy has been great all year," Hughes said.
"I probably wouldn't have thought about it if the buzz wasn't around there. You have guys like (Cameron) Munster in my ear a lot about it.
"It would be awesome to win it. It's a pretty prestigious award."
