Nelson Asofa-Solomona team song video: Storm star breaks shelf
Storm giant Nelson Asofa-Solomona proved he can cause just as much carnage off the field as on it after the 130kg and 200cm prop was sprung during a raucous team song. VIDEO HERE
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At 130kg and 200cm it doesn’t take much for big bopper Nelson Asofa-Solomona to break things.
The Storm prop was caught out during the team song on Saturday night, after a hard-fought win over the Raiders, when he accidentally broke a locker in the visitors’ rooms.
As Asofa-Solomona banged the side of the locker, with the giant dinner plate-hands of his, a wooden shelf at the top of the locker came loose and fell to the ground.
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Vision of the team song, doing the rounds on social media, shows Asofa-Solomona in the background whipping his head around at speed to see anyone caught the blooper.
“I tried to (fix the shelf),” Asofa-Solomona said.
“I think one of the screws came loose.”
But Asofa-Solomona went on to reveal the reason behind his frightened reaction.
“Back in under-20s we won a game, I think against St George, when we were tapping the walls and that, I got one of the plastic chairs and I hit it against the wall and it broke,” he said.
“I actually stopped the team song, I had a bit of a moment on the weekend... I nearly broke my neck because I turned that quick to see.
“I was really hoping I didn’t stop the team song for a second time!”
CRONK: STORM PRIMED TO HAMMER HOME ADVANTAGE
NRL champion Cooper Cronk says Melbourne have the playing style that can “unsettle” Canberra on Saturday night, despite a recent run of outs against the Green Machine.
The Raiders have worried Storm out of the past three games and with victory at GIO Stadium would become just the sixth team to win four straight against Melbourne.
It has happened only once in the Craig Bellamy era, when the Bulldogs had a run of six wins from 2013 to 2016. Incredibly, the Raiders’ wins have all been in Melbourne.
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“It’s always come down to one moment that’s been the difference, but I think Melbourne is just playing at a higher level this time, and their good players are influential,” Cronk said.
“They just hang in and hang in and when they get the opportunity they tend to make the right decision.”
Melbourne stunned premiers Sydney Roosters in extra-time last week, scoring multiple tries from opposition errors.
“As they say in boxing, styles make fights, but when Canberra plays Melbourne it ends up being the same style from each team, and then it is who can be resilient enough?” Cronk said.
“Who can be ruthless enough at doing those high-percentage plays for longer periods of time, and then it comes down to an individual or a moment where Raiders have got the bounce of the ball.”
Storm gave up an 18-4 lead in Round 22 last year and then Josh Addo-Carr lost the ball late in the first round of the finals, which set up the Raiders’ matchwinning try.
The teams locked horns in Round 3 when the competition resumed and the Raiders torched Storm 22-6, with halfback George Williams setting up two of his team’s four tries.
“The blueprint for the Raiders is exactly what they did Round 3,” Cronk said.
“They played really fast, the halves were up over the advantage line. Melbourne, whether they’re winning by 40 points or down by four, play the same and like to suffocate teams and take teams into uncomfortable areas they haven’t been before and just grind it out.”
With injured Raiders Iosia Soliola and Emre Guler out, Cronk said Melbourne would look to hammer the middle of the field.
“Those guys have been the cornerstone of the Raiders pack the last 18 months,” the six-time grand final winner-turned-Fox Sports analyst said. “Those people aren’t there, so you miss some consistency.
“I expect Melbourne to see if the new recruits that Canberra puts in can hold up. The right-side defence of the Raiders has been carved up since the resumption. No doubt (Melbourne will) go down the middle and try to systematically break them down.”
SMITH ONE WIN AWAY FROM MAGIC MARK
Melbourne Storm record-collector Cameron Smith became the first NRL player to win 300 games on Saturday night against Canberra Raiders.
Boasting a 71 per cent strike rate, the Storm captain and NRL games’ record-holder completed the incredible feat in 419 NRL matches.
Only 38 players in NRL history have played more than 300 games, with retired Storm and Sydney Roosters premiership champion Cooper Cronk ranked second on 264 career wins.
Smith needs two more wins to join AFL Hall of Fame inductee and seven-time Hawthorn premiership champion Michael Tuck as Australia’s most successful footballer.
Tuck played 426 games and notched 302 wins.
AFL Legend Kevin Bartlett played in 260 wins in 403 games for Richmond.
Games’ record-holder Brent Harvey (432) toasted success 235 times with North Melbourne, while Essendon 400-gamer Dustin Fletcher won 234 matches.
Smith, 37, owns a positive winning percentage against every team in the competition, including 24 of 32 (75 per cent) against the Raiders, according to Fox Sports Lab.
His worst record is against the Bulldogs (53 per cent), while the best sits at 85 per cent against Parramatta and South Sydney.
Smith’s individual accolades includes the NRL records for games, points and goals.
Cronk marvelled at Smith’s longevity and continued achievements.
“He’s probably broken the record for breaking the most amount of records in NRL history,” Cronk said. “There’s not enough superlatives to describe the impact he’s had on the game of rugby league and what he’s achieved.
“He‘s played more Tests (56) and Origins (42) than most people (games played) in a career, couple that with 299 wins … he’s doing things people don’t achieve in a whole career.
“You just got to tip your hat to him.”
Storm will carry a “Big V” logo into battle on Saturday night and for the remainder of the season.
The “Our Home, Victoria” symbol will be emblazoned in the middle of the match day jerseys.
Smith said the “terrible” COVID-19 situation in Melbourne has been front of mind since the Sunshine Coast relocation.
“Our home is Melbourne and we haven‘t forgotten that,” Smith said.
“We’re proud of the jersey we’re wearing and we’re proud of the people we’re representing and that’s the people of Melbourne and Victoria.”
Billy Slater initiated the logo idea as something for “the people back home”. He sent an email to Storm general manager of football Frank Ponissi, who took the concept to the players.
The playing group came up with the wording and settled on the “big V” as important to Victorians. Players will raise the “V” sign — using index and middle fingers parted — at appropriate times this season.
Originally published as Nelson Asofa-Solomona team song video: Storm star breaks shelf