Melbourne has turned to a player named Lazarus to revive their premiership ambitions following the suspension of star prop Nelson Asofa-Solomona for the NRL grand final.
Tui Kamikamica will step into Asofa-Solomona’s starting position, while rookie Lazarus Vaalepu joins the bench for the clash against Penrith at Accor Stadium on Sunday.
Making his debut in Round 20, Vaalepu has only logged 127 minutes across six matches, making him the least experienced player in NRL history to compete in a grand final, surpassing South Sydney’s Blake Taaffe, who has seven games to his name.
Asofa-Solomona’s attempt to play against Penrith was unsuccessful after he failed to have a careless high tackle charge downgraded at the judiciary on Monday night.
While Fijian-born Tui Kamikamica was the obvious choice to replace Nelson Asofa-Solomona, Lazarus Vaalepu has unexpectedly secured a spot on the bench.
The 25-year-old, who grew up in Penrith, played for Melbourne’s feeder club, the Sunshine Coast Falcons, in the Queensland Cup this season before being called up to the Storm’s squad. His only start came in Round 26 against North Queensland, where he scored a try.
Melbourne has a history of grand final success with a player named Lazarus; their inaugural captain, Glenn Lazarus, led the team to their first premiership in 1999.
Veteran Christian Welch, who will also play off the bench, praised Vaalepu, who weighs 119kg.
“He hasn’t had a lot of game time, but when he’s been on the field, he’s been really effective for our team,” Welch said. “He’s a powerful player with a big frame, and his efforts off the ball and in defense have been very encouraging.”
Kamikamica is following in the footsteps of Fijian legends who have played in Storm grand finals. Sisa Waqa lifted the trophy in 2012, while fellow winger Suliasi Vunivalu celebrated titles in 2017 and 2020. Marika Koroibete also played in the losing grand final in 2016 before transitioning to rugby union.
Despite becoming a starter, Kamikamica stated that he won’t change his approach. “I will just see what the coach wants from me, but I’m going to focus on my role as a forward. It’s a simple game plan—effort areas and things like that, especially in big games,” the 30-year-old said. “If you take care of the little things, the big things will take care of themselves.”
“I’m excited; this is what you dream of, and we get the chance on Sunday. It’s a chance to make my family proud back in the islands.”
Asofa-Solomona received a five-game suspension for his tackle on Lindsay Collins in the opening minute of the preliminary final, which ended Collins’ game. Melbourne playmaker Cameron Munster acknowledged that the absence of the 125kg, two-metre tall prop is a significant loss, both literally and figuratively.
“For me, it is a massive loss, but we’ve got some good players coming through who can fill the role for us,” Munster said.
“But yeah, he’s definitely a significant loss. He brings a strong presence in the middle and adds a lot of aggression, which we will really miss.”
Melbourne captain Harry Grant also expressed sympathy for his teammate, who had recently returned to his best form after a slow start to the season that sparked trade rumors.
“We know how crucial he is to our group; he’s been outstanding,” Grant said. “I can’t emphasize enough how much he has contributed to our team and the club over the last couple of months. He has really reaped the rewards, and we’ve benefitted on the field as well.”
