One month after rejecting an offer that would have seen them sign New Zealand international Nelson Asofa-Solomona, that same NRL club has reportedly made a formal play to secure his services.
Released by the Melbourne Storm last month after missing back-to-back NRL grand finals and failing to live up to his high price tag of $850,000 a season, Asofa-Solomona’s next step in his career has been clouded in uncertainty.
Far from his dominant best over the past couple of seasons, the front-rower only played 12 matches during the 2025 NRL season and even found himself appearing in reserve-grade at times due to being a liability on the field, which saw him suspended on multiple occasions.
Still only 29, there have been conflicting reports over the past few weeks about whether he will ever return to the sport of rugby league or will instead try his hand at another sport such as boxing or rugby union.
With Asofa-Solomona already linked to the Parramatta Eels, The Courier-Mail reports that the New Zealand Warriors have become the latest team to make a formal play for the released Storm front-rower.
Shopped to them at the beginning of September through a third-party contact, the surprise move by the Warriors comes after they previously knocked back an offer to sign him while he was still contracted at the Storm in October.
However, it is understood that the front-rower has no desire to return to the NRL at least for next season and has found himself on the radar of a switch to boxing and potentially the rebel rugby union competition known as R360.
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“Nothing is off the table. I just need a bit of time off,” he said via The New Zealand Herald over the weekend.
“[It’s been] a crazy last couple of years, I just need to find a bit of joy back into my game. If I were to stay in rugby league, I would probably try to find a place where I can enjoy my football again.
“I’ve got a lot to give, I still believe my best years are in front of me. I just need to find a place that can unlock that.
“I was even looking at having a full year off and just focusing on my mental health. We’re living in a different age of phones and everything, it’s really frying everyone’s [brains] and dopamine receptors… so just to get away.”