Nelson Asofa-Solomona's admission about rugby after re-signing with Storm

Nelson Asofa-Solomona has revealed just how close he came from defecting from NRL to rugby union before re-signing with the Melbourne Storm on Tuesday. The New Zealander announced after Melbourne's 30-22 win over the Warriors on Anzac Day that he had re-signed with the NRL club until the end of the 2027 season.

His decision to stay in Melbourne came after the giant front-rower had fielded offers from the Dolphins and Rugby Australia, with Wallabies coach Eddie Jones and chairman Hamish McLennan making no secret of their hopes to lure him across to the rival code. Asofa-Solomona played rugby union in New Zealand as a junior and revealed he was very tempted to defect to the 15-man game.

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He said his father Vasa, who passed away in January last year, had given him his blessing to represent the Wallabies if he wanted to do so. "I'm very grateful that Eddie (Jones) and Hamish (McLennan) looked at me and I was seriously having a look at rugby," the 27-year-old said on Tuesday.

"I felt like I've given a lot to rugby league and I thought I was a good chance to go to rugby. Of course, I'm a very proud Kiwi, but at the end of the day, my mum and dad get the last say in everything I do in my career.

"Before my dad passed away, he said 'I just want you to be happy, I don't mind if you play for the Wallabies'. At the end of the day, I love the Storm too much - this is my home. I know my mum and dad will be pretty happy and I'm really happy to be staying on with the club for another four years."

Storm fans over the moon for Nelson Asofa-Solomona

Asofa-Solomona produced a barn-storming performance at AAMI Park on Tuesday night in his first game since suffering a knee injury in round two. He turned the momentum in the Storm's favour when he came off the bench midway through the first half, earning high praise from coach Craig Bellamy.

Bellamy admitted he didn't know which way Asofa-Solomona was leaning regarding his future but said it was great result for the NRL in their 'code war' with rugby union, particularly after Joseph Suaalii's decision to move to rugby from the Roosters at the end of 2024.

"The last four or five days it's been up and down," Bellamy said. "I spoke to the chairman Matt Tripp a couple of times and it was a bit like a rollercoaster - he's just about ready to sign and 24 hours later it looks like he might be going to rugby.

"There was a lot of interest with rugby union. It's a great result for our club and a great result for rugby league."

Storm captain Christian Welch said Asofa-Solomona was popular with his teammates and had emerged as a leader with a number of veterans leaving the club last season. "This club is probably based on toilers and guys who work hard but probably don't have the explosive impact of Nelson," Welch said.

"He's a real difference-maker for our forward pack and he can really blow that defensive line up. I'm really pleased he's stayed - he's such a great guy and he could probably pick and choose wherever he wanted to go so we're really happy to have him."

Storm fans were also over the moon to hear the hulking forward is staying put.

with AAP

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