The highly controversial footy hardman finds out if his NRL Grand Final nightmare has become a reality

Melbourne enforcer Nelson Asofa-Solomona will miss Sunday’s NRL Grand Final after his grade three tackling charge was upheld by a disciplinary hearing on Monday.

The NRL panel unanimously confirmed the five-match ban, with the 28-year-old also expected to miss New Zealand’s Pacific Championship matches against the Kangaroos and Tonga – and likely not play again until the second round of next season .

On Saturday, the prop forward was informed by NRL officials that he was facing a five-match ban after being sent to the sin-bin following a high shot that knocked out Sydney Roosters forward Lindsay Collins during Storm’s 48- 18 preliminary final victory on Friday.

There was a chance the 28-year-old could have played against Penrith on Sunday, with Storm confirming they wanted to convince the judiciary to reduce his charge to an initial sanction and a $3,000 fine.

Asofa-Solomona flew to Sydney for the hearing and appeared alongside his lawyer, Nick Ghabar, after the defense managed to expedite the hearing from its usual Tuesday evening to Monday.

Asofa-Solomona’s counsel made the comparison with Val Holmes’ goal on Payne Haas during the second Origin clash of this year. The Maroons star’s tackle was considered a first-degree charge, but NRL counsel rejected a comparison was possible.

NRL lawyer Lachlan Gyles argued Haas had moved on and played on.

Dr. Matthew Morgan had been called to the hearing by Gyles and had stated that Rooster’s prop, Collins, had shown signs of concussion after the tackle, but could not reveal the symptoms due to doctor-patient confidentiality.

Nelson Asofa-Solomona arrived before an NRL judge today following his high tackle on Roosters forward Lindsay Collins

The Melbourne star had been charged with a grade three carless tackle and his sanction was upheld, with the Storm prop now set to miss the next five matches, including the grand final.

Asofa-Solomona (left) had made contact with Collins’ head during their preliminary final match on Friday

He added that in his post-match report he had not mentioned that there was ‘a clear fact when he plays the ball backwards, disorientation, that’s what I’m trying to achieve.’

Gyles also said Collins had played the ball the wrong way and needed help to stay upright. The NRL had also argued that an admission of guilt was an admission of foul play.

Asofa-Solomona’s counsel, Ghabar, argued that there were four reasons why the charge should be reduced.

Although he admitted that ‘there was no doubt that the tackle was high’, he stated that the defender was ready to wrap both arms, the contact was head-on, that the Storm prop had not charged out of line and that he had land had never left. He argued that the combination of these factors meant the tackle was at the ‘lower end of the range of carelessness’.

Asofa-Solomona’s counsel had argued to try to reduce his sentence to a first-degree misdemeanor

NRL representatives argued that Collins (left) had symptoms of concussion

The defense also argued that the speed at which Collins moved gave the Storm prop little time to adjust his body position and stoop lower during the tackle.

“If player Asofa-Solomona bent his back, he risked clashing heads with player Katoa or clashing heads with player Collins,” Ghabar said. ‘Player Collins did not raise his bumpers to protect himself.

‘In terms of generating power, player Collins in my respectful submission was responsible for that. Player Collins came at speed and took no action to protect himself, which is a shame.”

Had he entered an early guilty plea, Asofa-Solomona would have received a four-match ban, but his appeal will now see him miss five matches.