Storm star Nelson Asofa-Solomona’s penchant for avoiding suspensions from the NRL match review committee ignited a heated debate.
NRL 360 panellists Brent Read and Paul Kent exploded at each other on Wednesday night as the veteran rugby league reporters traded blows on the issue.
Read argued that Asofa-Solomona was being unfairly targeted for his performance against the Roosters last Friday night despite several other players also guilty of rough conduct.
Stream every game of every round of the 2022 NRL Telstra Premiership Season Live & Ad-Break Free During Play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >
LISTEN TO THE LATEST EPISODE OF THE FOX LEAGUE PODCAST WITH SPECIAL GUEST SCOTT SATTLER
Kent and Phil Rothfield refuted that accusation before Read accused the duo of hypocrisy for constantly calling for changes to the match review committee.
That sparked heated exchanged between Read and Kent, here’s how it played out.
Read: He’s been singled out in a game where other things happened and we’ve pick NAS over some photos.
Kent: We did address Lindsay Collins, he got four weeks and people were satisfied with the
punishment so no issue.
Phil Rothfield: We also addressed JWH and pointed out he was sin binned for his behaviour. This fella, like five other times this year has pleaded guilty and hasn’t been suspended.
Kent: The point everyone is missing, when the match review committee was reviewed over the summer, a lot of charges were downgraded from a week’s suspension to a fine. They were supposed to be for accidental or incidental incidents. The match review committee has mismanaged this and instead blokes dropping on top of blokes with elbows a grade to or three which they deserve, they’re giving them grade ones. He’s had continual grade ones this guy and he should have been hit with something stiffer. The match review committee is not getting this right.
MORE NRL NEWS
‘REYNO IS THE MASTERMIND’: Departing Broncos star drops Kevvie bombshell
LATE MAIL: Souths cop late blow as Storm star ruled out of crucial clash
‘IT’S OUR HOME’: Roosters supremo’s blunt warning shot to cross-town rivals
Read: How many times are we going to change it? Every year we change the match review committee. Every year. So are we just going to change it until we get it right and it never happens.
Kent: He lost teeth and there was no charge.
Read: Accidents happen on a footy field. Are you saying every time someone loses teeth that someone should be charged?
Kent: There’s a fair chance they should be given you’re not allowed to have any contact with the head.
Read: I don’t dispute it’s not working but part of the reason it got changed is because blokes like you and blokes like you sat in this seat and whinged about big-name players missing big games because of the judiciary.
Kent: Not me.
Rothfield: I never have.
Read: Rubbish you never have, that is rubbish. And that’s why it got changed. We’re all to blame because we all kicked up a stink.
MORE NRL NEWS
HOOPS: How Souths offered Suaalii more than the Roosters — and still lost him
COMING HOME: Woolf to leave England and join Bennett at Dolphins
PONGA & MANN: Knights duo escape sanction following NRL’s investigation
Kent: I’m not to blame, there’s no way in the world I’ve said that.
Read: You’ve said the judiciary should be overhauled.
Kent: I have said that because they weren’t getting it right, they weren’t severe enough, is what I said, instead they’ve got softer because if you continue to have these penalties in the game where it’s acceptable to cop a fine every week, you’ll continue to do them. We’re in a game that’s fighting for its life in one respect with concussions and CTE and all that and on the other side we’re allowing that to happen. Now as far as the gladiatorial thing last week between Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Nelson Asofa-Solomona, I loved it. I didn’t like the cheap shots from Nelson Asofa-Solomona on top of (Joseph) Suaalii.
Read: That happens every week in the NRL.
Kent: Yeah I’ll cop that, there’s nothing in that.
Get all the latest NRL news, highlights and analysis delivered straight to your inbox with Fox Sports Sportmail. Sign up now!!
