Rivals to weather whole new Storm

MELBOURNE are set to have one giant inclusion – figuratively and literally – for their preliminary final with Nelson Asofa-Solomona primed to return from injury.

Nicknamed “Big Nasty”, Asofa-Solomona, who stands 200cm and 115kg has missed their past three games with an ankle injury.

But Storm forwards coach Jason Ryles said the Kiwi Test prop was ready for their AAMI Park match next Friday when they will take on the winner of tonight’s Penrith-Cronulla semi-final.

“Nelson is tracking really well and if we had a game this weekend he’d be fine to play,” Ryles said.

“That’s a real positive for us because we can get some more work into him this week and he can be 100 per cent confident that his ankle is going to be fine.”

Ryles said the one-point win over South Sydney in the qualifying final had taken a toll on the Storm, given the brutal physicality of the match.

“After we were challenged the last time we played I think it was a good response,” he said.

“The boys are happy with where they’re at.”