Nelson Asofa-Solomoma should’ve been sent off and banned for four months for a tackle that broke several of Warriors hooker Wayde Egan’s teeth, according to Andrew Johns.
In the fourth minute of Friday’s game in Auckland, the Storm prop and teammate Josh King were involved in the tackle on Egan, where replays showed Asofa-Solomona slamming Egan’s head to the ground, with his elbow planted firmly on his jaw.
Asofa-Solomona was put on report and penalised for the tackle, but avoided a charge by the match review committee.
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The Storm snapped their four-game losing streak to beat the Warriors 20-10.
Johns said Asofa-Solomona had “nothing but intent to hurt (Egan)”.
“It’s laughable – look I back the players all the time, and I don’t apologise for that but to me, that’s four months’ suspension,” Johns said on Nine’s Sunday Footy Show.
“Honestly? Nothing for that, or a fine?
“There was nothing but intent to hurt him. That’s what it was.
“He had his elbow (on Egan’s face), and he knows it’s there and then he winds up knowing that the head would hit the ground and it would recoil and just smash him in the face.”
Billy Slater agreed, saying Asofa-Solomona was lucky to avoid being sent off.
Egan left the field, but returned a short time later and still managed 64 minutes and a try assist.
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