Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy expects winger Sisa Waqa to recover from a knee complaint in time for Sunday’s NRL grand final against Canterbury.

Waqa was a late withdrawal from last weekend’s preliminary final victory over Manly after jarring his knee at training.

“He is still in a little bit of doubt,” Bellamy said before the Storm’s open training session on Tuesday.

“He’s running today, but how much he will do is determined by how he goes and how he feels.

“It’s still early in the week.

“But having said that, the medical staff are very confident he’ll be right for Sunday.”

If Waqa is fit to take his place in the Storm line-up, he would replace the Storm’s only Victorian-born player Mahe Fonua.

Fonua, 19 has played four NRL games in his debut season.

“He has done a tremendous job, especially after having a rocky start in his first game,” said Bellamy.

“To his credit it didn’t dent his confidence at all and he’s got a little better and better each game.

“We’d like to think that would be the case again this week if we end up picking him in the team.

“It would obviously be a great experience for him and a great experience for our club to have our first ever Victorian born and bred player playing in a grand final.”