The state-of-origin period has cost the Melbourne Storm three games and six points and threatened its chances of the minor premiership for the third year in a row.

But the pain may not be finished yet for the Storm, despite Queensland's 16-10 win over NSW in the series decider.

The Storm's nine representatives are still feeling the effects of a torrid encounter on Wednesday night, with Storm high-performance manager Mary Toomey saying the players were extremely sore when they returned to Melbourne on Thursday.

However, they had improved by yesterday and would be put through their paces today to determine if they will play in tomorrow's NRL round-17 clash against Canberra at Olympic Stadium.

With so many players possibly backing up, the Storm, which has managed to keep in touch with the ladder leaders — it is only two points behind table-topping Manly, Sydney Roosters and Sharks — is at risk of falling to an untimely loss.

However, Storm coach Craig Bellamy has a policy of resting his representative players during the post-origin period and this season he has a group of talented youngsters, who were the better for the three losses to St George Illawarra, Gold Coast and Parramatta when the team was without its stars. Toomey said Michael Crocker, who was knocked out when he was hit in the back of the head with the football as he was applying pressure to a Mitchell Pearce kick, did not appear to be suffering any lingering effects from the concussion.

However, the 28-year-old, who returned to the field for the final seven minutes of the origin game, will have medical tests today to check his fitness.

"I was pretty sure that someone must have kicked me in the head or something, but apparently it was just the ball," Crocker said after the game.

"I was telling the (Maroons' doctor) that I must have hit someone's hip and hit the ground. So I think that's why he kept me (off the ground) for a little while."