MELBOURNE fans may have to wait a little longer for star fullback Billy Slater to return to the field.

Matt Scott’s contract talks with North Queensland have hit a hurdle.

And how a rising star’s NRL future is tied to a personal bodyguard.

Catch all this and more in The Mail, James Hooper’s new weekly column.

Round 19

BILLY BLOW?

Champion fullback Billy Slater’s comeback looks like being officially put on hold for the round one clash against Canterbury-Bankstown.

The Storm intend to refrain from taking risks with Slater, who is still on target to make an NRL return this season after undergoing a second straight shoulder reconstruction.

While Billy the Kid has looked sharp throughout the majority of the Storm pre-season, the Kangaroo and Queensland fullback is yet to engage in full contact training sessions.

Billy Slater at Storm training. Source: Getty Images

With Slater likely to be ruled out, coach Craig Bellamy has a major backline call to make.

Does Bellyache shift Cameron Munster back to fullback and give teenage rookie Brodie Croft a crack at five-eighth?

Or does he leave Munster, who has spent the entire off-season training in the halves, on the Melbourne left edge and go with Young Tonumaipea as his No.1.

All will be revealed leading into the Storm’s round one Friday night blockbuster against the Bulldogs at Belmore Sports Ground.

WHIZ KID’S BODYGUARD

EVERY good playmaker needs a bodyguard, especially if you’re only tipping the scales at 78kg.

Broncos legend Darren Lockyer had Tonie Carroll, while St George Illawarra five-eighth Jamie Soward played his best football with Beau Scott alongside him.

And if Jai Field can come from four-wide to win the Dragons No.7 jumper, he’ll have one of the NRL’s smiling assassins guarding him on the Red V’s right edge.

Jai Field at Dragons training. Picture: Brett Costello Source: News Corp Australia

Tyson Frizell might be all peace, love and mung beans off the field but cross the white line and the NSW and Australian forward is a cold-blooded enforcer.

While Field has already made plenty of headlines for his background as a champion junior state sprinter, what’s not as well known is his family history in the greatest game of all.

There’s a six degrees of separation link with St George Illawarra coach Paul McGregor, who won a premiership alongside Jai’s father Myke Field playing local league footy with Dapto in 2002.

Myke Field was a five-eighth and lock while McGregor returned to Dapto in the centres after a decade-long career with the Illawarra Steelers and St George Illawarra.

SCOTT’S CONTRACT HURDLE

KANGAROO enforcer Matt Scott’s negotiations with North Queensland may have hit a snag, with the Cowboys offering the Test and Origin front-rower a two-year contract with one catch.

The second season of the deal for 2018 and 2019 contains an option in the club’s favour, meaning it could end up as only a one-year contract.

Matt Scott is off contract at the end of the season. Source: Getty Images

Compare that to the three-year deal on offer at the Newcastle Knights and it’s clear Scott has a huge decision to make leading into the new season.

Scott was set to tour the Knights facilities earlier this month but with wife Lauren heavily pregnant with the couple’s second child he opted to delay the visit.

The Australian and Queensland front-rower told Fox Sports earlier this month he hopes to have his playing future resolved before the start of the season.

BARBA SET TO START FOR TOULON

THE retired rugby league player who brokered Ben Barba’s $2.5 million move to French rugby is Toulon coach Mike Ford.

A league halfback who played 15 games for the South Queensland Crushers in 1995, Ford has told Barba not to worry about his lack of a kicking game in the 15-a-side code and simply to run the ball.

Barba departed for France last night and has been told he will immediately be pressing for selection in the Toulon starting team.

BUNNY SIDELINED

AARON Gray is fast becoming the NRL’s unluckiest player, with the South Sydney centre now expected to be sidelined for between 12 and 16 weeks after being injured at the Auckland Nines.

Gray’s bad luck means the youngest brother of NSW Origin centre Michael Jennings will get first crack at the vacant right centre spot for South Sydney.

Aaron Gray of the Rabbitohs in action at the Nines. Source: Getty Images

Plenty of good judges have been waiting for Robert Jennings, 21, to flash his name up in lights as the latest standout member of the Jennings family.

The Bunnies are stacked with depth in terms of young gun outside backs on the rise, with Hymel Hunt, Braidon Burns and Siosifa Talakai also tipped to kick on this season.

CHOOKS BOAST SERIOUS FIREPOWER

HOW slick is the Sydney Roosters backline looking for the upcoming season?

On the back of the Tricolours success at the Auckland Nines, the Roosters are set to lock in Latrell Mitchell as the club’s left centre.

Mitchell narrowly missed out in a hotly-contested NRL rookie of the year field last season and the Taree product once-again looks primed for a huge year.

He’ll be positioned alongside new recruit Luke Keary and new co-captain Boyd Cordner, with the left wing spot tipped to be a shootout between Daniel Tupou and rookie Joseph Manu.

STORM TABLE McLEAN HEFTY DEAL

THE Melbourne Storm have upped the ante in terms of retaining front row enforcer Jordan McLean, who is being chased heavily by the North Queensland Cowboys.

With Tohu Harris signed to join the New Zealand Warriors next season and Christian Welch being targeted by the Brisbane Broncos, the Storm are throwing plenty at McLean.

Jordan McLean in action. Source: Supplied

We’ve heard the club has offered the emerging representative prop a three-year deal, with the final year said to be worth upwards of $800,000-a-season.

It’s big money for a player many are predicting could break into the State of Origin arena with NSW this season.

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