Melbourne Storm prop Nelson Asofa-Solomona given four-match ...

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Melbourne Storm prop Nelson Asofa-Solomona must fight a suspension at the NRL judiciary or miss next Sunday's grand final.

Melbourne Storm - Figure 1
Photo ABC News

Asofa-Solomona has been handed a four-match ban for his high tackle on Sydney's Lindsay Collins in the opening seconds of Friday night's preliminary final. 

The Storm star was sent to the sin-bin for the high shot which knocked Collins out of the match.

The charge sheet from Friday night's preliminary final, which Melbourne won 48-18 at AAMI Park, was released on Saturday morning.

Asofa-Solomona was handed a four-match ban with an early plea, but faces a five-match suspension if he fights the charge and loses. 

Melbourne will almost certainly fight the charge to allow their key prop forward to play in next Sunday's decider against Penrith or Cronulla.

The high-shot was the first tackle of the match, when Asofa-Solomona was part of a tackle on Collins.

The Rooster stood up and played the ball facing his own goal-line, clearly concussed from the brutal shot. 

Referee Grant Atkins sent Asofa-Solomona to the sin-bin, while Collins was ruled out for the match and would have been ineligible for the grand final if Sydney had triumphed on Friday night. 

Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy said on Friday the he did not believe the tackle warranted a suspension. 

"You'd hate to see him miss a big game," Bellamy said.

"I didn't think it was a sin bin. Penalty, I thought it was fair enough, but that's just me.

"I've seen it live and seen one replay, and that was my impression … I didn't think there was a whole lot in it."

Storm stars almost did not make second half against Roosters

While Melbourne's injured trio have already declared their fitness for the NRL grand final, coach Craig Bellamy said superstars Harry Grant and Jahrome Hughes almost did not play in the second half of their win over the Sydney Roosters.

Melbourne Storm captain Harry Grant (right) almost did not play the second half of the club's preliminary final win over the Sydney Roosters. (AAP: Joel Carrett)

Captain Harry Grant and halfback Jahrome Hughes, who scored a hat-trick of tries, were among the heroes in the Storm's 30-point win.

But the pair, along with goal-kicking centre Nick Meaney, struggled to finish the match.

A neck injury flared for Hughes while Grant suffered a calf issue early in the match and then Meaney suffered a knee knock.

Hughes and Meaney departed in the final five minutes of the match while Grant played the full 80 but the trio looked ginger post-match, with ice and strapping on the injuries.

Bellamy praised the resilience of his players to dig deep when the side needed them to play on, with the grand final berth on the line.

"It just goes to show, we all know what good players they are, talented players they are, but they're tough bastards," said the master coach, into his 10th NRL grand final.

"To be able to play out the second half like they did, it just goes to show that they've got a great care for what the team needs and they're willing to put themselves on the line for that.

"We had a decent lead at half-time, but it was way too early to pack the tent up and think we were home, so I just said to them (Grant and Hughes), if you can go out and play another 15, 20 minutes and see how it goes we might replace you.

"But then Nick got hurt and we weren't quite sure how bad he was."

Grant described his injury as minor and said it didn't hinder his game, with four try assists and 31 tackles backing up his claim.

"I got a little knock in my calf and then it was a bit tight," the 26-year-old said,

"We've got a longer turnaround so I will just be smart with how I manage it tonight and over the next couple of days but it'll be good."

ABC/AAP

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