Bellamy demands effort as Nelson Asofa-Solomona joins Melbourne Storm’s bulging injury list

Melbourne Storm’s injury crisis has worsened with star pillar Nelson Asofa-Solomona out for six to eight weeks with a knee injury.

The New Zealand forward was among the forward’s best players in Saturday night’s 12-26 loss to the Canterbury Bulldogs at AAMI Park, before being eliminated in the second half.

Last week, Storm coach Craig Bellamy described the injury crisis as the worst he could remember in his 21-year tenure at Storm, with 11 older players and it’s not certain any of them will be fit to play on To play against the Gold Coast Titans on Saturday night.

Bellamy knew after the game Asofa-Solomona would miss some time but the team had hoped he would only miss a few games, instead scans on Sunday showed the damage was worse than first thought.

The Storm said Asofa-Solomona has a high-level MCL injury which will see him out for six to eight weeks.

Star five-eighths Cameron Munster, full-back Ryan Papenhuyzen, center Justin Olam, winger Xavier Coates, support Tui Kamikamica, winger George Jennings, winger Dean Ieremia, utility Tom Eisenhuth, forward Tariq Sims and forward Tepai Moeroa fill out the current injury list.

Bellamy said Saturday night he wasn’t sure anyone would be fit for the third round, although the NRL website’s injury list for the Titans game listed Coates, Eisenhuth and Sims as possible returnees.

Ieremia is off the season with knee reconstruction while Papenhuyzen’s return is undecided as he completes his recovery from a fractured kneecap, but star performers Munster (finger), Kamikamica (foot) and Olam (arm) should all line up return to the sixth round or earlier.