Nelson Asofa-Solomona set to miss NRL grand final, banned four matches for Collins hit
Nelson Asofa-Solomona is set to be rubbed out of the NRL grand final after the match review committee banned the Storm prop for four games.
Even through rival Roosters players called for Asofa-Solomona to avoid suspension for the high tackle that left teammate Lindsay Collins heavily concussed, it was not enough to convince the panel, who ruled the incident to be a grade three careless high tackle.
If he chooses to fight to have the charge downgraded at the judiciary on Tuesday and loses, he faces five games out.
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Even if the Storm successfully argued to downgrade the charge to a grade two, the prop would still face a three-match ban.
Melbourne officials would need to have the charge reduced to a grade one to convert the penalty into a $3000 fine, which is unlikely.
Lindsay Collins was left heavily concussed. Nine
Asofa-Solomona was sin-binned and placed on report and Collins was ruled out for the rest of the clash after he played the ball the wrong way and failed a concussion test, after just 19 seconds at AAMI Park on Friday night.
The Storm have history in challenging the match review committee's findings, with the club successfully fighting to have Billy Slater part of the team for the 2018 grand final.
Asofa-Solomona has been cited for high tackles by the match review committee twice over the last six weeks, and the contact on Collins was his third and subsequent offence.
Storm coach Craig Bellamy disagreed with the call of a sin bin when asked about it in Friday night's post-match press conference.
"You'd hate to see him miss a big game. I didn't think it was a sin-bin ... I didn't think there was a whole heap in it."
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Roosters enforcer Jared Waerea-Hargreaves said he would want Asofa-Solomona to play in the decider and it would be sad to see him miss it.
"I really hope it doesn't cost Nelson a grand final, I hope not, I truly do," Waerea-Hargreaves said.
"It's why we play. It's such a physical game. They are small margins we talk about.
"There was a lot of talk and speculation on both us guys, and who was going to dominate the middle [on Friday].
"I thought he played really well. I could feel him going after the game. I really hope he gets to go out there next week and do the same thing."
It's understood the Storm have depth at the position but may have to look to the NSW Cup grand final to find a replacement.
