NRL world left raging over 'laughable' let-off for Melbourne prop
The NRL's match review committee (MRC) has been condemned by footy fans after deciding not to charge Melbourne's Nelson Asofa-Solomoma over an ugly incident in Friday night's win over the Warriors.
Melbourne snapped a four-game losing streak after beating the Warriors 20-10 at Auckland's Mt Smart Stadium, but it was an incident involving Melbourne's prop that has dominated headlines.
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Asofa-Solomona's hit on Wayde Egan left the Warriors hooker with a suspected broken jaw after only a few minutes of action.
While Egan returned to the field, it was an act that saw the Storm prop placed on report and left the big Mt Smart crowd incensed.
Replays appeared to show the Storm prop's elbow make contact with Egan's head, before driving the Warriors player forcefully to the ground.
The incident reportedly left Egan with several broken teeth but surprisingly, but the MRC did not see enough to warrant charging Asofa-Solomona.
League Immortal Andrew Johns said it was a "laughable" decision from the MRC to let off the the Storm prop, who he argued had "nothing but intent to hurt (Egan)".
"It's laughable - look I back the players all the time, and I don't apologise for that but to me, that's four months' suspension," Johns said on Nine's Sunday Footy Show.
"Honestly? Nothing for that, or a fine?
Finally some sense on this from Andrew Johns on @NRLonNine
Says Asofa-Solomona should be banned for FOUR MONTHS.
Come on @NRL pic.twitter.com/zxQDij4L8D— Andrew Gourdie (@AndrewGourdie) July 31, 2022
"There was nothing but intent to hurt him. That's what it was.
"He had his elbow (on Egan's face), and he knows it's there and then he winds up knowing that the head would hit the ground and it would recoil and just smash him in the face."
Asofa-Solomona's former Storm teammate Billy Slater agreed with Johns that the prop was lucky to stay on the field for the ugly incident.
League world fumes over Nelson Asofa-Solomoma let-off
The MRC's decision not to charge the Melbourne star also left the NRL community incensed.
Laughable that NRL has charged Jayden Su'A but decided that Nelson Asofa-Solomona elbow to Wayde Egan face was OK and yet NRL is trying to cut out contact to the head of players #NRLJoke
— AyiosYiorgos (@AyiosYiorgos) August 1, 2022
Nelson Asofa-Solomona wasn’t penalised or charged for a tackle that resulted in an elbow driving into Wayde Egan’s face, fracturing his teeth. Forceful contact with the head is punished in so many situations, no reason it shouldn’t have been here. A few similar cases this season pic.twitter.com/ocsgEGh830
— NRL PHYSIO (@nrlphysio) August 1, 2022
All over the shop alright! Asofa-Solomona should be missing the rest of regular rounds and return only for the finals. Just saw footage of skull crusher … can’t watch #sickening #DogAct
— Karl Mc ✌️🚲🏉 (@TigerKMc) July 31, 2022
@VossyBrandySEN no charge for NAS? this is a joke, he injures a player, just like the hip drop, and this is a WORSE look for the game
— Josh Bird (@glassjawsh) July 31, 2022
Here we have Luke Patten explaining why Nelson Asofa-Solomona had no case to answer. #JustWow pic.twitter.com/5r7dkLmx4Y
— The Oracle (@BigOtrivia) August 1, 2022
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