Wests Tigers Alex Seyfarth goes from Benji Marshall fan to NRL

As a kid he was a mad footy fan who painted his face and coloured his hair to watch his heroes on the TV. Now he’s playing with and against them.

From fan, left, to Wests Tigers young gun.

Alex Seyfarth only has to look at the contact list in his phone to be blown away.

Alongside the numbers of family and friends are those of men he has idolised for years - men he now calls teammates and rivals.

And one in particular always raises a smile.

Jack Wighton scores despite the best efforts of Alex Seyfarth.

“As a kid I loved Robbie Farah, Benji Marshall and those guys,“ he said.

“For me to say I played a game with Benji Marshall is insane.

“I have a photo from 2005 with my face painted with black and orange on grand final day.

“I was sitting on mum’s car and then we watched the game on telly and I remember the whole thing, cheering for Benji.

“Now I have their phone numbers. I can just give them a call. As a kid I would never have thought that would ever happen in a million years.”

Mark O'Neill (L) and Benji Marshall hold Telstra Premiership Trophy during a lap of honour after Wests Tigers beat the North Queensland Cowboys in the 2005 grand final.

The NRL gun, left, as a young fan about to watch the 2005 grand final, and right playing in his debut NRL season last year.

The former Dundas Shamrocks junior is preparing for his second season in the NRL after debuting with Wests Tigers last season at the height of the coronavirus pandemic.

“I made my debut against Cronulla in round three in May at Bankwest. We won that game. It was weird with no crowd,” he said.

“My mum, dad and brother were right at the top of the stadium. I didn’t see them.

“It wasn’t how I expected my first grade debut would go but it was still a dream come true.”

The 22-year-old, who grew up in Parramatta, said he loved rugby league from the start, playing his juniors with Balmain before graduating into the SG Ball and Harold Matthews competitions.

Balmain’s Alex Seyfarth coping some attention from Parramatta rivals in his Harold Matthews Cup days.

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Seyfarth, who was signed as a Wests Tigers development player in 2019 and cracked he top 30 last seaosn , said he is very conscious of treating young fans of the game with respect.

“I am not that well known yet but when I get a chance to have an impact on the young fans I try to do it,” said the former apprentice bricklayer.

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