Nelson Asofa-Solomona began the 2025 NRL season under suspension—and he may well finish it the same way.
Only recently back from a two-week ban for dangerous contact on Manly’s Jake Simpkin, the Storm enforcer was in trouble yet again in the 30-14 loss to the Brisbane Broncos when placed on report for a high shot on Ben Talty in the 37th minute.
Compounding the penalty, Asofa-Solomona was also sent to the sin bin by referee Grant Atkins, negating the Storm’s one man advantage at the time with Broncos centre Deine Mariner already in the bin.
The Broncos scored two tries in Asofa-Solomona’s absence, one either side of half time, and given his worrisome NRL judiciary record it seems highly possible another ban awaits.
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‘Is Nelson worth having out there?’
A new ban would be the 29-year-old’s third sideline stint of the 2025 season and one expert is questioning whether it would even be worth the Storm welcoming him back in the finals, given the potential risks.
“Nelson is such a concern,” Greg Alexander said bluntly during the Broncos-Storm coverage on Fox League.
“If I was Craig Bellamy, I’m thinking ‘is Nelson worth having out there?’”
“If he doesn’t bend his back, with the height that he is, he makes contact with the head without even trying.”
Asofa-Solomona began the 2025 NRL season on the sidelines while serving a five-match suspension for a high shot on Roosters prop Lindsay Collins in the 2024 preliminary final.