Jared Waerea-Hargreaves Appeals for Nelson Asofa-Solomona’s Participation in NRL Grand Final

Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, an illustrious figure in rugby league, recently expressed his hope that Melbourne Storm‘s Nelson Asofa-Solomona can avoid suspension and participate in the upcoming NRL grand final. Waerea-Hargreaves, who received a guard of honour from both Sydney Roosters and Melbourne Storm players as he concluded his NRL career, shared a poignant moment with Asofa-Solomona, highlighting their longstanding rivalry and mutual respect.

The potential suspension casts a shadow over Asofa-Solomona, who is under scrutiny following an incident in a recent match where he reportedly tackled Roosters prop Lindsay Collins. The tackle, executed within the first 13 seconds of the game, resulted in Collins being sin-binned and prompted renewed debate over the dangers associated with kick-offs in rugby league.

The NRL match review committee is expected to charge Asofa-Solomona with either a grade-one or grade-two careless high tackle offence. The latter would entail a three-match ban, jeopardizing his participation in next Sunday’s decider unless the Melbourne Storm can successfully appeal the charge at the NRL judiciary.

Asofa-Solomona’s case is not unprecedented; several players have missed grand finals due to suspensions over the past two decades, including Carl Webb, Cameron Smith, and Issac Luke. Storm coach Craig Bellamy commented on the incident, stating, “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.”

Waerea-Hargreaves expressed solidarity with his “Kiwi brother,” emphasizing, “I really hope it doesn’t cost Nelson a grand final. It’s why we play. It’s such a physical game.” He acknowledged both his and Asofa-Solomona’s roles as physical players and the narrow margins that define such competitive matches.

Some of Asofa-Solomona’s teammates have also defended him. Jahrome Hughes, another player from Storm, asserted the player’s significance, saying, “Nelson has been really good for us. Even these last couple of months, he’s been all time, he’s really locked in; hopefully he’s out there because he’s such a big part of our team.”

The Storm, however, are preparing contingencies should Asofa-Solomona’s suspension be upheld, with alternatives like Joe Chan ready to step in if needed. As the rugby league community awaits the judiciary’s decision, the events underscore the intense scrutiny and stakes that come with the game’s physical nature.