Melbourne forward Nelson Asofa-Solomona is confident a secret Sunshine Coast training camp has laid the foundation for a high-powered charge to the NRL finals.
The revelation shows just how far the New Zealand international is willing to go as he seeks to put an injury-interrupted year behind him.
Rather than enjoying a week off during the Storm's recent bye, Asofa-Solomona travelled to Queensland to put himself through days of intense training that saw him shed weight and fine tune his body.
"While a lot of the boys were just chilling out, I went up there and put a lot of work into my body and mind," Asofa-Solomona said. "I came back with a spring in my step, hopefully I can show it in the next few weeks.
"[I hadn't done it before] but I know what works for me now. It's a bit like Dennis Rodman, he goes to Vegas for 48 hours. I need to go to Sunny Coast for a week. Everyone is different, that's what works for me."
Asofa-Solomona drags them over the line
An off-season hamstring injury forced Asofa-Solomona to miss the first six weeks of the competition and he started the season in reserve grade. Since returning to the NRL in Round 7, he has been limited to 12 games this year.
While it took a while for the forward to find his groove, he showed a glimpse of how dangerous he can be in running for 176 metres in just 33 minutes in the Round 17 victory over the Raiders.
The performance was a warning to Melbourne's NRL rivals and a sign of Asofa-Solomona's headspace as he enters the business end of the season.
While many players can struggle to navigate the mental challenges associated with recurrent injuries, Asofa-Solomona has maintained a positive outlook throughout a difficult year.
"It hasn't been too frustrating, injuries are just part of the game," he said. "The game is so fast now, you look across other teams and everyone is getting hammy injuries. It's just part of the territory.
"It's something I can't control. I don't get frustrated, I stay positive. That positivity will go to the injury. If I am negative about it, it's not going to do much.
"I'm in a good headspace, and when I am in a good headspace I play much better. When you're in a good headspace, it translates to your body and your body starts to feel a bit better and be a bit lighter. I am in a happier place mentally, now it's just got to translate on to the field."
Big hit from Big Nelson
Asofa-Solomona's future has been the subject of much speculation throughout the season.
The forward signed a contract extension last year that keeps him in Melbourne until 2028 but he was forced to deny reports of a rift with coach Craig Bellamy earlier this year.
A cryptic Instagram post in early July added further fuel to the fire and prompted a meeting with Melbourne officials after a series of images were added with the caption "All good things must come to an end, enjoy the good moments while they last."
Match: Storm v Dragons
Round 22 -
home Team
Storm
1st Position
away Team
Dragons
8th Position
Venue: AAMI Park, Melbourne
Asofa-Solomona denied there was any hidden meaning behind the post and also dismissed speculation of a move to Japanese rugby while declaring his intention to see out his contract.
"I am contracted until 2028, so I do see myself here," Asofa-Solomona said.
"I had a yarn with the club owner Matt Tripp and [Justin Rodski] our CEO, just having a yarn with where I am at generally. It was good to go for a coffee and just have a yarn and clear the air with where I am at mentally.
"Credit to those guys, that's all we needed, to just go for a coffee and clear things up. I have a lot of respect for Matt Tripp and JR."
With his future sorted, Asofa-Solomona is eager to turn his focus to Melbourne's charge towards the NRL finals.
The Storm currently sit four points clear on top of the ladder and welcomed star five-eighth Cameron Munster back to the field in last Friday's victory over Parramatta.
Melbourne will host the Dragons on Saturday night as they look to secure their first minor premiership since 2021.
Penrith are nipping at their heels and the return of Nathan Cleary has provided a major boost in their bid for a fourth-straight title.
The Storm recognise they cannot relax if they are to topple the Panthers and Asofa-Solomona is determined to set the tone up front.
"I'm just getting started, " he said. "As long as my mind is right, I want to give back to this club. It has given me so much.
"I need to get myself right, and that gives to the team. Just control what I can control, and that is my mentality and my body."
