Nelson Asofa-Solomona “has a contract” says Craig Bellamy amid rumours

Bellamy said Asofa-Solomon “has a contract” and says it will take a miracle to have a fully healthy squad against Broncos.  

Melbourne Storm head coach Craig Bellamy discussed the rumours linking Nelson Asofa-Solomona away from the club this week. The 64-year-old says he is not going anywhere, despite being frozen out from the side. Bellamy also revealed that he is expecting star five-eighth Cameron Munster to be back sooner rather than later.  

“He has a contract,” say Bellamy 

Nelson Asofa-Solomona made his return from a hamstring injury he suffered in the pre-season series last week. However, despite being healthy, Craig Bellamy decided to leave the enforcer out of the squad during the Storm’s most recent match against Newcastle Knights. Asofa-Solomona is currently building his fitness in the reserve side. Recent reports say he could be away from Grade A level for a long time.  
 
“He’s an important part of our club. We just need him playing well. He’s had some real hamstring problems and he hasn’t done a lot of work in the pre-season, so that’s a little bit of the problem as well,” Bellamy said about Asofa-Solomona’s status.  
 
“We’re not gonna put him in until he’s ready. He’ll be a real asset to us if we can get him back in and when he gets that time under his belt training and some games. But like I say, he’s just short of that at the moment. I don’t know how long it’s going to take.” the Storm boss said.  
 
When asked about the chances of Asofa-Solomona leaving the club, Bellamy said, “At the end of the day, he’s got a contract. I don’t think that needs an answer, to be quite honest.” 
 
Asofa-Solomona has been recently linked to St. George Illawarra after the Dragons mutually terminated star Zac Lomax’s contract to free up $800,000 in their annual budget.  

Storm disappointed with Asofa-Solomona’s level

No one really knows why Bellamy has frozen out his star enforcer, but most reports say it comes down to one thing; Asofa-Solomona’s weight.  
 
“I just don’t think they’re happy with the way they returned the pre-season,” The Australian’s Brent Read revealed on NRL 360 this week.  
 
Reportedly, Craig Bellamy instructed Asofa-Solomona to lose weight over the summer. The prop came back even heavier than he was at the end of the 2023 NRL season.  Asofa-Solomona’s hamstring injury in the pre-season added to Bellamy’s disappointment in the player. Things have now come to a head and could result in Asofa-Solomona leaving the club soon.  

Cameron Munster injury update 

Asofa-Solomona’s absence dominated Craig Bellamy’s pre-match comments ahead of Storm vs. Broncos this week, but the biggest news for the club was actually about Cameron Munster. The Storm star could make his return soon very soon according to Bellamy. 
 
“There’s a pretty good chance that he might line up,” said the Storm boss. 
 
“As I’ve said before, the injury’s been fine or seems to be fine, then all of a sudden it flares up again. He’s had a couple of the sessions this week that he’s gone pretty well in, so hopefully he pulls up OK tomorrow after today’s session and then we'll just go from there,” he explained.  

Storm’s next match is against Brisbane Broncos. The Storm are -6.5 favourites at the betting sites. Munster’s inclusion in the match could see that spread grow, but Bellamy cautions that we shouldn’t “expect miracles” from the star five-eighth.