Melbourne players insist the Zac Lomax contract saga is far from their minds, however one Parramatta player who has their attention is Jonah Pezet, set to line up against his former side in their NRL season-opener on Thursday night.
Halfback Pezet will wear the Eels' No.7 jersey at AAMI Park as Melbourne look to extend coach Craig Bellamy's incredible round-one win record to 23 consecutive years.
The Storm's battle to secure Lomax has dominated the off-season headlines after the NSW Origin winger quit Parramatta to play in a global rebel rugby union competition that remains on hold.
Melbourne's Nick Meaney said while the contract tug-o-war added to the buzz before the match, it wasn't a focus for players.
But 23-year-old Pezet, who quit the Storm at the end of last season in search of a starting role, had been a talking point.
"I messaged him the other day saying, 'Get ready, hope you've got the shoulders strapped on,' Meaney laughed.
"I think that's like any young half, you know, game plans are always set up to attack them and put pressure on them.
"While he's young, he's experienced and he's level-headed, so yeah, I'm sure he'll be able to handle it."
Meaney usually starts in the centres but could feature on the wing when teams are announced on Tuesday.
With star flanker Xavier Coates sidelined until round 10 following Achilles surgery, Meaney may be pushed wide with NZ rugby sevens recruit Moses Leo or Marion Seve options to play in the midfield.
Exciting Victorian product Hugo Peel is also a chance to make his NRL debut on the wing, leaving Meaney to partner Jack Howarth in the centres.
"We're just trialling a few things, at the moment, obviously Moses Leo played in the centres during the pre-season trial game and I just rested that game, so definitely going through a few different tests at training to see what works best for the team," said Meaney, who will join incoming NRL club Perth at the end of the season.
"I've played many different positions as well, so I definitely can fill in (on the wing) if that's what they think's best ... my first season at the Storm I played there on the left wing outside Justin Olam, so I'm pretty familiar with it."
Melbourne were disappointing in their last trial match, losing 42-12 to Gold Coast, but Meaney said the team had done enough hard work in the off-season to keep the proud round-one record alive.
"It's probably the work we do in the pre-season and what the coaching staff get us to do during that time, it's very hard and taxing on the body, but at the same time it gets you ready for those early games in the season when maybe other teams haven't sorted that out," he said.
"The Storm are always really prepared for each season and that record's proven it."
