Melbourne Storm skipper jokes Cameron Munster missed side’s NRL win over Manly after ’10-12 beers’ 

It may not reach pandemic levels but a new virus that renders fit and healthy people incapable of mustering energy levels, has hit the Melbourne Storm and its first ‘public’ victim was revealed on Saturday in Melbourne.

Queensland Origin spearhead and Melbourne Storm superstar Cameron Munster took a backseat in the coaches box, listless and lacking his usual flair as he watched his Storm teammates trample Manly 24-6.

He was wearing a Covid-type mask under a big woolen beanie, presumably hoping to avoid spreading his virus.

Early diagnosis suggests the mystery illness is Caxtonitis, forcing both Munster’s coach Craig Bellamy and his skipper Christian Welch at the press conference post Manly game to explain the reference to the iconic Brisbane pub.

 ‘He was sitting up in the box with a mask on, I’m not sure if he was going to go rob a bank or something, I’m not quite sure,’ Bellamy said of Munster.

Storm captain Christian Welch knows exactly how Munster contracted the mystery virus which sidelined him from Saturday’s win against Manly

Storm coach Craig Bellamy was confused and skeptical when asked about what laid his star playmaker Munster low forcing him to miss the Manly win

‘He had some sort of illness, I’m not sure what. It was an illness I’d never heard of before actually and Munster may have even made it up, but I’m also not quite sure if the 10-12 schooners he had the Caxton Pub after Origin didn’t help it,’ the skeptical coach added.

That’s when Welch labelled it.

‘Caxtonitis I think it’s called,’ he smiled.

Bellamy felt rather certain that his playmaker would be back for next weekend, well recovered,  but made a point of saying that the Origin period was an interesting time for everyone.

‘I won’t say Origin period is a difficult time, it’s always an exciting time.

‘We all love watching Origin and the players love playing in it but it is a little difficult managing things when you have players in Origin.

‘Trying to manage them and manage the team, when do you rest them etc, type of thing, but hopefully we can work through it and we keep the wins coming moving forward,’ he said.

Munster has one more Origin appearance left for this year and the coach and captain are confident he will be recovered and ready for that game.