Nelson Asofa-Solomona has been suspended for three matches and handed a $15,000 suspended fine after he was caught on video in an alleged brawl in Bali.
The three-match ban will mean Solomona is unable to represent New Zealand in the Kiwis’ upcoming international Tests, but won’t prevent him from playing for the Melbourne Storm in 2020.
Asofa-Solomona’s behaviour was provoked by a coward punch on teammate Suliasi Vunivalu, and the NRL said they took this into account when making a decision.
“The sanctions take into account evidence which showed a degree of provocation contributed to the incident, Asofa-Solomona’s cooperation with the NRL investigation and the remorse he has shown,” said a statement by the NRL.
Vunivalu’s attacker was removed from the Bali venue, and Asofa-Solomona followed him outside, where the fight took place.
“I didn’t see it coming. I was lucky I didn’t fall and hit my head because people would have been visiting in a coma from my hospital bed,” said Vunivalu.
“The scariest bit was being punched and having no idea it happened. I would’ve defended myself and tried to dodge the punch but I didn’t have time. It was out of the blue that I got punched.”
The NRL statement stressed that players would continue to be held to a high standard of behaviour.
“All clubs were advised prior to the start of the off-season that serious penalties would be imposed for all off-field incidents.
“The NRL expects exemplary behaviour from all players and any player who falls short of that standard will be sanctioned.”
Roar GOAT
Roar Rookie
If he went outside to seek revenge for his mate, that’s different to an off the cuff defence of your mate. That’s no longer self-defence, it’s assault. Even if the bloke deserves a flogging.
Roar GOAT
Roar Rookie
Not how it works champ.
Gray-Hand
Roar Rookie
https://www.theroar.com.au/2019/10/13/melbourne-storm-star-filmed-in-alleged-bali-brawl/ The owner of the club said the assault happened inside the club. The attackers were removed by security and NAS followed them outside.
Succhi
Roar Rookie
I’m not sure all the details have come out yet BUT he was there on a Storm trip - not fair NZ test team gets penalised. He should be penalised as a Storm player, not as a NZ rep IMO.
Adam Bagnall
Roar Guru
You didn't make any sense yesterday and don't make any sense today. If they were removed from the premises there was no immediate danger. NAS followed them outside and was looking for round 2, and I'm sure he was well intoxicated by this point. When you go looking for a fight, you are not defending your mate your the instigator. Please keep up
Simon G
Guest
Gray-hand where are you getting that info from? Because the only detailed account that I can find is from Braith Anasta, who has stated that “Nelson’s best mate, Vunivalu, was king hit. They were threatening him with glass bottles out the front of the establishment.” If this is true then it sounds like self defence to me, not avenging a teammate.
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
they were right out front of the premises, as though they were waiting & now were in a group, so the immediate threat was still there. Plus a clear assault, where was Suli's justice? No police, no assault charges? But dare someone carry a drug & they face a life imprisonment there, or assault a local.
Noosa Duck
Roar Rookie
Simon as far as I am concerned, those blokes that were ejected were just waiting outside to finish the job. If that had happened say in the Sydney CBD the drunk Aussie & his 2 Bali mates would be in gaol up on serious charges. A single from behind coward punch has killed several people in recent years and the fact that the Club security just threw the blokes out and did not call the police suggests to me that the situation was not under control by a long shot
Noosa Duck
Roar Rookie
Since when can the NRL ban him from playing for his country ? I was under the impression that test matches were controlled by the international body not the NRL. However, possibly coming from an era where my parents had fought a war and I was on a list to go to Vietnam, we were taught that mateship and having your mates back was a very important part of life. The take I get from what I have read is that the blokes once ejected from the club were waiting outside for Vunivalu. Yes they had been ejected but how was it that they were allowed by the security to remain outside? Good Question I reckon. I do not think that it was simply over & done with as people are stating and that those three blokes were still looking for trouble when Nelson took to them. I have known several ex NRL players and a couple of ex Boxers who have all stated that there is always some half drunk hero wanting to make a name for himself. From my point of view not praising Nelson for helping his mate and giving the yobbo what for, Greenberg & the NRL has just signalled "open season" on NRL players. You want to get drunk & coward king hit anyone NRL player or not, you deserve to get the stuffing belted out of you and may I remind everyone that there are many people not just in Australia but around the globe serving long gaol sentences for killing someone because of an unprovoked coward punch from the side or behind. If that had occurred in the Sydney CBD the drunk Yobbo & his 2 mates would be sitting in a gaol cell right now up on serious assault charges. Greenberg lost me ages ago and I do not think V'landy's is in the chair as yet so I doubt his fingerprints are all over this but you can bet that Beatie's are because they are both experts at the political correctness manifesto
Gold Coast Bunny
Roar Rookie
News.com report security escorted all of them outside and that NAS was approached by someone with a bottle. Self Defence no doubt and should not have been suspended.
Gray-Hand
Roar Rookie
The thing is, he wasn’t defending anyone. The scumbags who assaulted his team mate had already been removed from the premises. There was no immediate threat. He was just avenging his team mate.
Gold Coast Bunny
Roar Rookie
The following report states the two groups were escorted outside where NAS was approached by a man with a bottle. To me itsself defence and he should not have been suspended. https://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/story-behind-melbourne-storm-stars-bali-nightclub-brawl/news-story/e4fe5a9b7cd20fa50c652116a423dcd6
Simon G
Guest
I want to throw out 2 hypotheticals here.. What if, instead of NAS defending a teammate in a Bali bar from a coward punch and a lunatic with a bottle, lets pretend the situation was midday on a busy street with an old lady getting coward punched by a guy holding a weapon, or maybe even Greenberg holding a press conference and a looney coming from nowhere to coward punch him and start brandishing a weapon at people. If NAS was present at both those hypotheticals and reacted the same way he did in Bali, do you think he would incur the same punishment from the league? Personally I think not..
Greg
Guest
So the NRL decides the punishment, which is that he misses 3 non-NRL test matches, then is available for NRL games. Go figure.
Gray-Hand
Roar Rookie
If he followed the guys outside, then he was looking for a fight.
Brendon
Roar Rookie
Actually reports are that he was going to get glassed so it may have been defending.
Gray-Hand
Roar Rookie
Vunivalu’s attacker was removed from the Bali venue, and Asofa-Solomona followed him outside, where the fight took place. He wasn’t defending a teammate, he was avenging a teammate. If his team mate had been in immediate danger, he would be s genuine hero, no two ways about it. But that wasn’t the case. He was just delivering a (admittedly well deserved) slapping to a couple of scumbags. I’m okay with the NRL requiring players to remain above that kind of behaviour. But yeah, good on him for doing it anyway.
Conan of Cooma
Roar Rookie
So he gets penalised by the NRL for being defending his team mates? It's like flamin' school, not allowed to fight back at all, just run and tell a teacher!
Christov
Guest
NRL are out of touch with reality. Just because you play NRL does not mean you can be assaulted. I guess this is an extension of the sin binning for slapping, pathetic NRL do better