NRL suspension debate re-ignited as Melbourne Storm get Nelson Asofa-Solomona ban reduced

The Storm have received a major boost ahead of the 2025 season with the NRL ruling that Melbourne enforcer Nelson Asofa-Solomona can serve three matches of his five-match ban at the Pacific Championships. Asofa-Solomona missed the NRL grand final after he failed to overturn his charge for a high shot on Lindsay Collins in the opening tackle of the Storm's preliminary final win over the Roosters.

The tackle saw him slapped with a four-game ban and it was upgraded to five after a failed appeal Asofa-Solomona could have escaped with a fine if the incident was deemed grade-one by the match review committee. But they came down hard on the Storm forward, hitting him with a grade-three charge.

Many players and fans felt the decision was unfair, including notorious hardman Jared Waerea-Hargreaves who pleaded with the NRL to not rub him out of the big dance. "I hope (he's) not (banned), I truly do," Jared Waerea-Hargreaves said at the time. "It's why we play, it's such a physical game. You play that thing in the middle, we're just out there trying to do our best. They are small margins we talk about. I really hope it doesn't cost Nelson a grand final."

And while they were unable to get him off the charge, the Storm have received some good news with the club successfully applying for Asofa-Solomona to serve three games of his suspension during the Pacific Championships given the fact he would have been part of the New Zealand side if he was available. It means the forward will only miss the Storm's Las Vegas season opener and will be back to form what is expected to be a lethal partnership with new recruit Stefano Utoikamanu come round 2.

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Api Koroisau also set to get a reprieve

Api Koroisau could also be free to play for Wests Tigers as early as round one next year after being allowed to absorb his NRL ban at the Pacific Championships. The Tigers hooker was handed a three-match ban for a dangerous tackle in the last round of the NRL season in the loss to Parramatta.

The suspension had the potential to rub the captain out of the Tigers' opening three games of next season - which would have delayed his long-awaited reunion with star recruit Jarome Luai. But AAP reports Koroisau will be able to absorb at least two of those games in the Pacific Championships, given he would have been representing Fiji.

If the Bati beat Cook Islands and Papua New Guinea to finish top of their division, Koroisau will also be able to apply to have the playoff match counted in his ban. If approved by NRL judiciary chairman Geoff Bellew, Koroisau would then officially be cleared to play in the Tigers' opening game of 2025.

with AAP