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Up against the Warriors, Melbourne are gunning for their 11th successive win which will see them draw level with Penrith on top of the NRL laddder.

Coach Craig Bellamy insists Melbourne aren't motivated by the chance to snare top spot on the NRL ladder from Penrith when they take on the Warriors in Gosford on Sunday.

An understrength Panthers outfit fell 19-18 to Cronulla on Friday night - their second loss of the season - with the defending premiers now able to draw level on competition points and move ahead on points differential with a win by at least 18.

"Our motivation is to make sure we go out and play well and make sure we don't let our teammates down, that's what I want from individuals," Bellamy told AAP.

"The result will look after itself depending on how we play and how the Warriors play.

"We're not looking at the competition table too much; we're concentrating on what we need to do and how we need to do it."

Penrith rested Origin stars Nathan Cleary, Jarome Luai, Isaah Yeo, Brian To'o and Kurt Capewell following Wednesday night's Origin series opener in Townsville, but Bellamy expected most of his troops to back up.

Storm prop Christian Welch, who was an early Origin casualty after a head knock, is out while his Maroons teammate Harry Grant is in some doubt.

Melbourne are also set to be without backrower Kenny Bromwich (ribs) and fellow Kiwi Test star Nelson Asofa-Solomona, who is suspended.

"Christian won't play but we're reasonably confident the other four will back up," Bellamy said on Saturday.

"They've done bits of the training this morning and they've got some bumps and bruises but they see it as a badge of honour to back up after Origin."

The Warriors had no players involved in Origin and while they are missing some strike power with youngster Reece Walsh suspended, they will fancy their chances at Central Coast Stadium where they have won four of their past six games.

"It's a bit of a bonus for the Warriors around Origin time where other teams get bashed up a bit through Origin with players in there," Bellamy said.

"I'm sure they will look at it as a period where they can really start playing some good footy and perhaps face a few teams who are bit dinted.

"We're obviously a bit dinted but we still think we're going to put a very capable team together."

Meanwhile, Bellamy says their extended stay in Queensland due to COVID-19 in Victoria has delayed a decision on his coaching future.

The Storm are waiting for Bellamy to make a call on whether to remain senior coach in 2022 or move into a director of coaching role, which Cronulla and Brisbane are also offering.

"It's been hectic trying to get the players as comfortable as we can in this situation and their families organised," he said.

"It's probably put my decision back a little bit; that's the last thing on my mind at the moment."