Storm faces squeeze on star halves

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NRL: Maroons seal Origin series

Cooper Cronk hasn’t yet decided on his future. Picture: AAP

THE expected re-signing of Cooper Cronk could come at the expense of Blake Green with Melbourne Storm locked in a battle to keep the halves partners together.

Cronk’s new deal with Storm is believed to be imminent, but it appears Storm has a fight on its hands to hold onto the reliable Green.

The Storm five-eighth, who it is believed would like to stay at Storm, has reportedly received a lucrative offer to join Manly next season.

“We’re still waiting for Cooper so that will solve a bit of the jigsaw puzzle,” Storm coach Craig Bellamy said.

“We’d obviously love to keep both of them … but that’s up to our administration.

Blake Green is attracting interest elsewhere. Picture: Getty Images

Blake Green is attracting interest elsewhere. Picture: Getty ImagesSource:Getty Images

“Hopefully both can be sorted out soon, for our club and for the players as well.

“I’m not quite sure exactly where that is money-wise or with negotiations, but you’d like to think something would be sorted soon.”

Bellamy said he would not want to lose Green, who joined the club at the end of 2014.

“We’d love to keep him but if that’s possible I’m not quite sure. If it comes we don’t keep him then we will plan something and go with that,” he said.

“Hopefully we can put that together and keep most of the pieces.”

Meanwhile, skipper Cameron Smith and Cronk are every chance to back up from the second State of Origin match when Storm meets Wests Tigers on Sunday.

Melbourne hopes Cooper Cronk and Cameron Smith will face Wests Tigers. Picture: Colleen Petch

Melbourne hopes Cooper Cronk and Cameron Smith will face Wests Tigers. Picture: Colleen PetchSource:News Corp Australia

Both starred in Queensland’s series-clinching victory and also got through the match unscathed.

“It’s more a decision for our medical team but with Smithy we will go on how he is feeling if he doesn’t have any injuries,” Bellamy said.

“I imagine they would have had a little celebration on Wednesday night, so we will see how they come up.

“With Cooper it’s mainly about what our medical people say.”

Fullback Cameron Munster (ankle) and Green (calf) remain in doubt after missing last round’s loss to the Dragons.

“We are still not sure and they are not going to do much at training on Thursday — we’ll see how they are on Saturday,” Bellamy said.

“We will have some tough decisions to make Saturday, they won’t do much today but hopefully they will get up.”

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