The Melbourne Storm have announced they will contest Nelson Asofa-Solomona's four-match suspension at the NRL judiciary, which means the prop will miss Sunday's grand final against the Penrith Panthers.
Asofa-Solomona was charged with a grade three careless high tackle following Friday night's preliminary final against the Roosters, which left opposing prop Lindsay Collins concussed.
The Storm's enforcer will front the judiciary tonight, with the club scheduling their case a day early to avoid disrupting training preparations.ย
To clear the charges against him, Asofa-Solomona needs a double downgrade; even a grade two charge would still result in a three-match ban.
A downgrade to a grade one charge would reduce the penalty to a $3,000 fine, allowing the 28-year-old to play against the Panthers on Sunday night. If the Storm fails to overturn the decision, Asofa-Solomona could face five games on the sidelines.
He was sin-binned and placed on report in the first minute of Friday's match after Collins was hit high during the opening play. This incident marks Asofa-Solomona's third offence for a high tackle, which has been assessed by the league's match review committee twice in the past six weeks.
Melbourne legend Cameron Smith has called on the NRL to reconsider its policies to prevent players from missing significant matches like a grand final due to accidental tackles.
"This has divided the rugby league community down the middle," Smith said to Nine Media.ย
"A lot of people believe, 'Well, do the crime, do the time' and others โ particularly some former players โ are saying, 'Look, the hit was a little bit high but does he deserve to miss a grand final because of that'.
"It could have huge implications for the Melbourne Storm. Taking [Asofa-Solomona] out of that Strom line-up, it takes away from the contest.
Reaching a grand final is a rare opportunity for many, making the decision to potentially sideline Asofa-Solomona particularly controversial.
The Storm have a history of contesting judiciary rulings on the eve of finals, having successfully fought to include Billy Slater in their 2018 grand final lineup.ย
Cameron Smith himself missed the 2008 grand final due to suspension, a match the Storm lost to Manly.
The decision remains uncertain if Asofa-Solomona will be cleared to play in the 2024 NRL Grand Final against the Penrith Panthers at Accor Stadium on Sunday night.ย
