The Melbourne Storm may have defeated the Newcastle Knights on Friday night to claim their sixth win of the season, but the club have been hit with a major injury blow.
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The club confirmed that winger Xavier Coates will not return at all in 2026 and will miss the remainder of the series.
“The players knew before the game, and I think there was a little bit of effort tonight was for X,” Craig Bellamy said after the match against the Knights.
“I’m not really sure what to say either. He’s a great player, but a great fella too, and a great guy to have around the club.”
The injury will also make him unavailable for Game 3 of the 2026 State of Origin series for Queensland and Australia at the 2026 Rugby League World Cup.
Yet to play a match during this year’s campaign, the Storm revealed that he ruptured his Achilles at training on Friday as he attempted to make his comeback to first-grade.
Coates suffers season-ending setback | 00:29
“I think he was only a couple of weeks from returning, but Xav is the ultimate team man.,” Storm captain Harry Grant said.
“He always puts everyone before himself, and you know what you’re going to get from him week in, week out.
“The club’s got his back now and Xaveir knows that a lot of people have been through that injury and come out on top.”
Coates will undergo surgery next week.
“I was running and it just popped,” Coates told AAP.
“I was only running at about 50 per cent and it just went.”