NRL Finals: Storm giant Nelson Asofa-Solomona reveals he will face Eels weighing a whopping 130kg
For years, 200cm Melbourne monster Nelson Asofa-Solomona has been terrorising rivals with his size and power. Now the true extent of his weight can be revealed.
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The Eels must halt the NRL’s biggest man with Storm monster Nelson Asofa-Solomona revealing he will enter Saturday night’s semi-final weighing a staggering 130kg.
The NRL‘s official website lists Asofa-Solomona at 115kg but the Storm giant has detailed the true extent of his size, bulk and power that is spearheading Melbourne’s title charge.
Parramatta rival Junior Paulo is one of the NRL’s biggest boppers at 123kg, but he will be usurped by Asofa-Solomona when the 200cm prop runs onto Suncorp Stadium at 286 pounds.
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Asofa-Solomona enters the finals series in rampaging form and he attributes his consistency this season to a rocket from Storm coach Craig Bellamy about his waistline.
“I think everyone has copped a spray off ‘Bellyache’ and mine has always been about my weight,” Asofa-Solomona said.
“I cop that every week from Craig because I put on about two or three kilos (eating) after the game, then I strip it back off.
“It is just my Samoan genes. I breathe and I put on weight. I think a lot of players like to have some treats after a game. I have everything.
“Bellyache always has a word with me about my weight and makes sure I am staying on track. Jason Ryles (assistant coach and former Dragons prop) is telling me to put the foot down and get everything right.
“Around this time last year I was 135 kilos. Right now I am 130kg so I am a big step ahead of where I was last year.”
Asofa-Solomona is now a key member of Melbourne‘s system, having amassed 121 NRL games, but there was a time he was nearly lost to the Storm.
The New Zealand-born forward grew up dreaming of an All Blacks jumper and had an opportunity to defect to rugby when the Wellington Hurricanes made overtures four years ago.
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“I wanted to play rugby union my whole life,” he said.
“The All Blacks was always my dream, as it is for a lot of Kiwi kids. I was in Wellington where there is not much rugby league.
“I had both contracts in front of me. To stay in rugby union or go to rugby league. Rugby league saw me when I was 14 and I wanted to repay the loyalty with the Storm.
“As you get older dreams change, so here I am.”
Asofa-Solomona is averaging 121 metres per game this season and is desperate to clinch another premiership ring after the devastation of the Storm‘s 2018 grand final loss to the Roosters.
“It always hurts to lose a grand final,” he said.
”I lost my first one in 2018 and that is something you don’t want to feel again. Every year we are trying to go back and go one better. That one hurt but we’ve moved on from there.
“When I play finals footy I go to another level. That is my mindset when I get to this stage of the season.
“It just comes with experience. I have been in first grade for six years now so you just know when to flick the switch.”
Originally published as NRL Finals: Storm giant Nelson Asofa-Solomona reveals he will face Eels weighing a whopping 130kg