Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy has defended enforcer Nelson Asofa-Solomona, branding him the NRL‘s ‘punching bag’ after he was put on report in the side’s loss to the Eels after a series of ‘cheap shots’.
The Storm firebrand was placed on report on Thursday night for a late tackle on Mitchell Moses in Parramatta’s ‘ 22-14 win, which infuriated Bellamy.
‘I think it was probably a touch late, but it certainly wasn’t high,’ Bellamy said.
‘His arms were around his waist, so look I’m not sure if it was placed on report because of his reputation, I suppose might be the word to use, I’m not quite sure.
Storm forward Nelson Asofa-Solomona was placed on report for this late shot on Mitchell Moses on Thursday night. The enforcer is a repeat offender and has been under fire for a string of dirty incidents
Storm coach Craig Bellamy took aim at NRL for changing the rules for repeat offenders and says his player has become the NRL’s ‘punching bag’
‘There was certainly nothing around his head, so it could have been a little bit late, but I don’t think there was too much more to it.’
Asofa-Solomona, a two-time premiership winner, has been slammed in recent weeks for a series of intentional and dirty acts – leading footy pundit Phil Rothfield to brand him ‘the worst cheap shot merchant in rugby league’.
The forward is a repeat offender, having been charged 18 times in his seven-year career and recently copping a $3000 fine for dropping his elbow on Joseph Suaalii’s chin during a fiery clash with the Roosters.
Asofa-Solomona was benched shortly after the late shot on Mitchell Moses in the eels’ 22-14 win in Round 25
The recent media storm has prompted the NRL to stipulate that repeat offenders risk upping the charge from a grade one to a grade two heading into the finals, which Bellamy found unjust this late in the season.
‘Why react now because of one story that turned into a story for three or four days on the one bloke? asked Bellamy.
‘There are a lot of other incidents that are as bad as Nelson’s, but we decided to pick on Nelson this week, so he was the punching bag.
‘If they want to change the rules because of that, well, at the end of the day that is their decision.
‘That’s not my decision so if they want to change the rules, at the end of the day that is not my concern because I can’t control that.
Nelson Asofa-Solomona offloads the ball against the Eels. The forward recently copped a $3000 fine for dropping his elbow on Joseph Suaalii’s chin during a firey clash with the Roosters
‘But if they want to change the rules well good.’
Bellamy was asked if his firebrand forward was unfairly targeted due to his reputation.
‘Just with that incident tonight I thought it was a bit late, so that’s fair,’ Bellamy said.
‘But I don’t think too many guys get put on report for being that late.
‘But he was nowhere near the head. Like his arms were around his waste.
‘So unless I saw the wrong incident, but that’s the one I saw.’
Prominent rugby league pundit Phil Rothfield has branded the enforcer as ‘the worst cheap shot merchant in rugby league’
Social media has been scathing toward Asofa-Solomona in recent weeks – and leading the charge has been former Panthers premiership player-turned-neuroscience expert Martin Lang, who called Asofa-Solomona’s recent elbow to Suaalii’s head ‘disgraceful’.
The 176-game legend slammed the NRL for its inaction, and pleaded with league to do something before it was too late.