- The NRL star bought a house six years ago
- His late father spent a lot of time working in the backyard.
- It is now expected to fetch up to $1.6 million at auction.
When Nelson Asofa-Solomona, the enforcer of the Melbourne Storms, leaves his home in Essendon for the last time, he will leave behind a small piece of family history.
The NRL star has put his Essendon home up for auction, hoping to fetch between $1.5 million and $1.6 million for the family property he has called home for six years.
While potential buyers will pay close attention to the four bedrooms, modern kitchen and bathroom, and entertaining spaces, the humble shed in the backyard will be a feature Asofa-Solomona will miss the most.
This is because his late father, Vala, built the shed by hand, as well as tending the backyard gardens.
Asofa-Solomona’s late father Vala built the shed at his Essendon home and enjoyed spending time working in the garden.
The towering Melbourne Storm prop is now selling his Essendon property he bought six years ago.
The Essendon house is set to go up for auction and is expected to fetch up to $1.6 million at auction.
“I think Dad really enjoyed the house and was very proud of it,” Asofa-Solomona said.
Vala passed away in January 2023, but not before telling his New Zealand-born son how proud he was of him.
He even gave the proud New Zealander permission to play for the Wallabies, at a time when Rugby Australia was trying to get the NRL star to defect.
“I’m very grateful that Eddie (Jones) and Hamish (McLennan) watched me and I was seriously studying rugby,” Asofa-Solomona said at the time.
‘I felt like I had given a lot to rugby league and I thought it was a good opportunity to go to rugby.
‘Of course, I’m a very proud New Zealander, but at the end of the day, my mum and dad have the final say in everything I do in my career.
“Before my dad passed away, he said to me: ‘I just want you to be happy, I don’t care if you play for the Wallabies.’
“At the end of the day, I love Storm too much – this is my home.”
Asofa-Solomona is currently in Fiji, watching his Melbourne Storm teammates play the Newcastle Knights in the NRL Pre-Season Challenge.
The home has been built for entertaining and features high ceilings, which was a selling point for Asofa-Solomona.
One of the four bedrooms of the luxurious property that the Storm star has put up for sale
The New Zealand-born rugby league player, who played in the 2017 and 2020 NRL grand finals with Melbourne, bought the four-bedroom house at 85 Bradshaw St about six years ago.
Asofa-Solomona was attracted to the modern look, spacious low-maintenance garden and high ceilings of the two-story property.
“I’m a tall guy and the high ceilings in the living room and hallway were bright,” Asofa-Solomona said.
The large open living and dining room, well-equipped kitchen, study, family room and multiple bathrooms make it ideal for entertaining and living.
The home features American oak floors, plantation shutters, zoned ducted heating, refrigerated cooling, and a remote-controlled garage.
It will be auctioned on March 2 with a price range of between $1.5 million and $1.6 million.