When you lose three Premiership players from your forward rotation it can be hard not to take a backwards step.
However going backwards is not something this Storm pack has ever been interested in.
Instead the philosophy of ‘next man up’ ensures that no matter who comes and goes, the forwards at Melbourne know full well what is required to pull on the purple jersey.
Tohu Harris and Jordan McLean were a key part of the 2017 Premiership success but there are already others putting their hand up to fill their place.
“They are obviously big loses of us, they were instrumental in the season we had last year and obviously our Grand Final,” Dale Finucane said.
“You can throw Slade Griffin in there as well who has been a big part of this Club since 2009.
“In saying that we’ve got some young guys who have come through the system at the moment, plus signing Sam Kasiano from the Bulldogs and Patrick Kaufusi from the Cowboys, we have filled our spots quite well.”
Finucane will enter his fourth season in Melbourne as an established leader at the Club.
The 26-year-old understands more than most the need for others to step up and fill the voids left by Harris, McLean and Griffin in 2018.
Just over a week into his return to pre-season training, Finucane is loving what he sees from Kasiano and Kaufusi.
“They have been really good,” he said.
“This is my second week back so far to see how everyone has slotted in and to train at the speed and the intensity that is has been has been really good, especially from those guys.
“They have bought into our system really well early and are going well.”
