NRL 2024: Melbourne Storm star Nelson Asofa-Solomona to miss grand final after guilty verdict

Melbourne Storm Nelson Asofa-Solomona has been rubbed out of the 2024 NRL grand final against Penrith after failing to have his grade three charge downgraded at the NRL judiciary.

The Storm have suffered a monumental blow with man mountain Nelson Asofa-Solomona to miss Sunday’s grand final showdown with Penrith after he failed in his bid to have a grade three careless high tackle reduced at the judiciary.

The guilty verdict means the towering prop will miss five matches, with seven-game rookie Lazarus Vaalepu the man most likely to come in for the biggest night of his career against the Panthers.

It’s a massive loss for the Storm given Asofa-Solomona generates quick play the balls and can offload at will, with Melbourne all too familiar with the judiciary this time of year after Billy Slater got off in 2018, while Cameron Smith missed the 2008 decider.

The case has dominated the build-up to Sunday’s decider, with NRL counsel Lachlan Gyles urging the judiciary panel of Paul Simpkins and Bob Lindner to treat it like any other match and to not be influenced by the occasion.

A 90-minute hearing required just a 10-minute deliberation as the panel found him guilty, with Asofa-Solomona – who was joined by Storm general manager of football Frank Ponissi – to miss the grand final and the upcoming Pacific Championships.

The veteran prop had been seeking a rare double downgrade to a grade one which would have seen him escape with a fine.

“Obviously I’m very disappointed with the result,” he said afterwards.

“I had a fair hearing. All my energy will go towards my team to get the result.”

After a 40-minute delay, a large portion of the hearing came down to evidence provided by Dr Matthew Morgan who was on duty as the medical officer for the Roosters on Friday night.

Dr Morgan was grilled by both Gyles and Ghabar, declaring Collins displayed “clear on field signs of concussion” both on the field and then in the sheds, with the panel satisfied that the Roosters prop was concussed.

“I observed it in both ways,” he said, pointing to the fact Collins played the ball the wrong way and needed another Roosters player to steady him as he got to his feet.

“What’s not in the report is the definite fact that when he plays the ball backwards is disorientation.”

Ghabar tried several times to find out whether Collins had actually failed the HIA, but Morgan stressed the test results were confidential and that he didn’t “have consent from Collins to provide the information”.

Gyles objected four times to Ghabar’s line of questioning, with Morgan declaring he noticed the symptoms live and confirmed them on video, that “there were a lot of reasons to not let him back on the field” and that Collins is currently in the 11-day mandatory stand down policy which would suggest he is concussed.

That didn’t stop the defence counsel from revealing Collins’ concussion history which has seen him come off the field 11 times in his NRL career for head knocks, with five of those resulting in him not returning.

There was another instance in the 2022 State of Origin decider when he was knocked out early.

Nelson Asofa-Solomona’s hit on Lindsay Collins.

“One needs to be cautious when one uses injury as an indicator of force or the risk of injury itself,” Ghabar argued, adding that Collins didn’t do anything to protect himself in the tackle.

“He has a propensity for showing concussion symptoms. Concussive symptoms are not a reliable indicator of the force or risk of injury because we know this player’s history.”

Ghabar argued four main points for his client, saying that his arms were outstretched in a wrapping motion, he didn’t use his shoulder, didn’t rush out of the line but held his position, and that he never left the ground.

After sitting through 10 angles of the tackle in question, Ghabar then used a comparable from this year’s Origin series where Valentine Holmes pleaded guilty to a grade one careless high tackle charge for a shot on Payne Haas.

Lindsay Collins is assessed after being hit by Nelson Asofa-Solomona. Picture: NRL

“Holmes makes direct and forceful contact to the head. His (Haas) head snaps back,” he argued.

“Sheer luck that Haas wasn’t injured.”

But Gyles wasn’t having a bar of it, replying “the laws of physics suggest Asofa-Solomona provides more force”.

Vaalepu or Joe Chan will likely come on the bench when the official teams are released.

JUDICIARY HEARING: PANEL TO DECIDE NAS’ FATE

The Storm and NRL have finished their submissions, with panel members Bob Lindner and Paul Simpkins to determine, using the evidence they have been given, whether Nelson Asofa-Solomona is afforded a downgrade to his grade three charge.

“What is not the issue is whether or not this player plays in a grand final. That is not relevant. You simply treat this like any other case,” Bellew said. “Finally in terms of the comparable incident you should strive for consistency. If you determine the Holmes tackle was inappropriately graded you should ignore it.”

Should Asofa-Solomona fail to have the charge downgraded to a grade one charge, he will miss the 2024 NRL grand final.

Nelson Asofa-Solomona during the hearing. Picture: Jonathan Ng

UPDATE FROM MARTIN GABOR

Lindsay Collins has been in the wars in 2024, though you wouldn’t expect anything less from the Roosters warrior.

Nick Ghabar says that Lindsay Collins has come off 11 times during his 113 game career for HIAs. He hasn’t returned to the game on five occasions

— Martin Gabor (@MartinJGabor) September 30, 2024

HOLMES DEFENCE

Storm counsel showed vision of a Valentine Holmes tackle on Payne Haas during Origin II this year in a bid to highlight similarities between Asofa-Solomona’s tackle on Collins.

The Maroons star pleaded guilty to a Grade 1 Careless High Tackle.

NRL counsel Gyles argued Payne Haas was able to stand up and play the ball, while Lindsay Collins was unable to return to the field.

“It’s certainly not entry level and not moderate level. In my respectful submission you should be satisfied that the MRC got it right and this is a Grade 3”.

Storm’s defence fired back, saying Holmes tackle was worthy of a higher grading due to the position of his arm, “effectively leaving his left arm by his side, making direct contact with the head”.

“That’s very direct and very forceful contact, no question about that,” he said.

Defence using a comparable from Origin this year. Holmes received a grade one charge for a high shot on Payne Haas

— Martin Gabor (@MartinJGabor) September 30, 2024

7.30PM: NAS PLEADS GUILTY

Asofa-Solomona has pleaded guilty a grade one charge should the charge be downgraded.

This, the NRL counsel argues is an admission he committed foul, with Gyles claiming all indicators are in line with a grade three charge.

7.25PM: CROSS-EXAMINATION GETS HEATED

A tense exchange between Asofa-Solomona’s counsel Nick Ghabar and Roosters doctor Michael Morgan, whose appearance was reportedly at the centre of the delay to the hearing.

Ghabar: “You have not made a diagnosis of concussion”.

Morgan: “In the report under diagnosis, I said there were clear symptoms of concussion requiring an 11-day stand down”.

Ghabar: “Where in this report do you detail the symptoms that led you to that conclusion.”

NRL judiciary chair Geoffrey Bellew intervened saying Morgan had answered that question earlier in a report detailing Collins showed Category 1 HIA symptoms after the collision.

Dr Matthew Morgan has appeared via video link. He was the medical officer for the roosters on Friday night

— Martin Gabor (@MartinJGabor) September 30, 2024

7PM: TACKLE FOOTAGE SHOWED

NRL judiciary counsel Lachlan Gyles SC has called on Roosters doctor Mathew Morgan to give evidence, with multiple angles of Asofa-Solomona’s tackle on Collins shown.

6.40PM: NAS HEARING BEGINS

The Asofa-Solomona is under way following a 40 minute delay. The hearing is being chaired by The Honourable Geoffrey Bellew, SC.

Judiciary hearing about to begin after a 40 minute delay pic.twitter.com/ZNyMMUQVhM

— Martin Gabor (@MartinJGabor) September 30, 2024

6PM: NAS ARRIVES AT NRL HQ

Nelson Asofa-Solomona arrives for his judiciary hearing. Picture: Jonathan Ng

5.50PM: FOOD AND VIPS

Our man on at NRL headquarters, Martin Gabor, has an important update from the judiciary hearing, confirming Kangaroos and Maroons great Bob Lindner and ex-top flight referee Paul Simpkins will ultimately decide Asofa-Solomona’s grand final fate.

Asofa-Solomona will be represented by Nick Ghabar, the man who famously helped Billy Slater avoid suspension to play in the 2018 grand final.

Big turnout for the judiciary tonight.

Bob Lindner and Paul Simpkins on the panel.

Nick Ghabar representing NAS.

Mushroom arancini have arrived.

More to come (food)…

— Martin Gabor (@MartinJGabor) September 30, 2024

HOW STORM PLANS TO CLEAR NAS

Melbourne prop Nelson Asofa-Solomona will appear in person at a fast-tracked NRL judiciary hearing on Monday night in a bid to be cleared to play in the grand final.

The Storm will contest the four-match suspension handed down to Nelson Asofa-Solomona at the NRL judiciary on Monday night, with the hearing starting at 6pm AEST.

The Storm have enlisted judiciary whisperer Nick Ghabar to take up the fight but he faces a mountainous task given Asofa-Solomona would need a double downgrade to a grade one to be eligible to take his place in the decider.

Asofa-Solomona collected Roosters prop Lindsay Collins with a high shot just 19-seconds into the preliminary final clash at AAMI Park on Friday night.

Collins was concussed from the collision and played no further part in the game.

Storm officials were believed to be stunned and bitterly disappointed when the match review committee handed down the charge sheet – it is understood the MRC took into account that Collins suffered a concussion and was ruled out of the game before finalising the charge.

Asofa-Solomona’s heavy penalty is impacted by the charge being his third and subsequent offence.

In a bid to ensure their preparations for the decider suffer as little disruption as possible, it is understood the Storm requested that the hearing be held on Monday night.

The club and Ghabar need tantamount to a miracle to have Asofa-Solomona cleared and while Storm chair and owner Matt Tripp declined to comment on the charge, he praised Asofa-Solomona for the work the New Zealand International had done to turn around his season in Melbourne.