NRL 2024: Uncut David Nofoaluma reveals the inside story of his messy Wests Tigers exit

David Nofoaluma is the Wests Tigers’ greatest ever try scorer but his time at the club came to a messy end. In his first interview, the star winger opens up about Benji Marshall, leaks and his love for the Melbourne Storm.

David Nofoaluma is the Wests Tigers’ greatest ever try scorer but his time at the club come to a messy and public end.

In his first interview, the star winger opens up about the exit and his time at Concord.

Nofoaluma also talks about his plans for 2024 after signing a one-year deal with a new club.

Fatima Kdouh: Well Nofa, you’ve just penned a new deal with Salford in the UK Super League for 2024, why did you make that call?

David Nofoaluma: I think it was a good move for me to get out of Sydney and also experience what it’s like overseas. I think there’s something exciting about it. I kind of got a taste of that when I left Sydney to go down to Melbourne of what it’s like to have a fresh start there. So I know what it’s like to go into a new environment. It’ll be life changing.

FK: Did you worry you would struggle to find a new home?

DN: I knew I had the ability. I knew for myself that my head wasn’t there at the Tigers. And with everything going on I couldn’t reach my potential and be motivated to be there.

They obviously didn’t want me there and I made it clear to them I didn’t want to be there.

So, it was best for both of us to part ways. I’ve done a lot for the club, a lot of achievements, I’m all-time highest try scorer at the club. I don’t want to harbour bad blood against that team. I had a lot of opportunities to go to other clubs every time I came off contract and I decided to stay. It might have been better for me to leave back then when I was younger. I understood that they (Tigers) struggling and I was performing. A few players left and I thought it’d be good for me to stay and without turns out, you know, it’s business. Unfortunately, for me I ended up in this position.

David Nofoaluma . Picture: Tim Hunter.

FK: Are you open to coming back to the NRL?

DN: I’m at the age (30) now that, you know, I’m open to everything. But at this present moment, all I’m focused on is going to Salford and putting my best foot forward for them. I’ve got a lot of experience, so I’m sure I can help them out in certain ways. I’m open to coming back or even staying in England if things work out.

FK: How did it come to this? Can you pinpoint a time where things really changed?

DN: I was in a similar position last year (2022), I was playing reserve grade for the Magpies and I still remember the phone call from Craig Bellamy. I got named to play for reserve grade in the same week got named to play NRL for the Storm when I did the loan deal. Everyone could see how I played down there. I enjoyed the new environment, it was nothing against the Tigers. I just got over losing. It’s a team sport, you can’t do anything individually and no matter how good you are if the team is not performing it affects you as a person. As I got older it affected me.

FK: At the time, Melbourne showed interest in keeping you. Did you want to come back to the Tigers?

DN: It really started when I stopped being included on members days. I could just sense an aura that they didn’t want me to be there. I didn’t want to go back from Melbourne and that’s where it started. I made it clear to the club that I didn’t want to come back. I know that it was only a loan but I think that played a part in it. When I left for Melbourne, I thought I left for good.

FK: So your exit is almost two years in the making?

DN: There were a lot of things written and said, especially when things weren’t going great. I think that hurts the most because there’s other ways of dealing with it, which is in house. But unfortunately that is what the Tigers have been known for. I hope they’re successful. I hope they have a great year. I’m not the type to hold grudges.

FK: Speaking of things written, a lot was said about your relationship with new coach Benji Marshall? How did that relationship break down?

DN: There was a bit of tension this year between me and him. Me and him were so close, we played together for years. He said to me that he’s the coach, and he told me early in the pre-season I wasn’t going to start next year. That hurt me a bit. I respect that he’s got to make tough decisions. Looking back, I think he made me an example for all the other players because I’ve been there for such a long time. I know deep down he’s a good person, he’s only doing what is best for the club.

Wests Tigers coach Benji Marshall. Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

David Nofoaluma before his Tigers exit. Picture: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

FK: You’ve had a lot of coaches in your time. How did Craig Bellamy rate in comparison?

DN: I was there for four or five months. I’d say I’ve learned more in five months than in 10 years at the Tigers. That’s got to say something. There were things I didn’t know and there was a lot I had to learn on my own at the Tigers. I still remember my first spray from Bellamy. It was in a team meeting. I still remember all the boys looking at me.

FK: What did he spray you about? What did he say?

DN: It was very intense. I don’t want to say too much. I want to respect him. But he knew I was a very confident player. I got on with the boys there. One thing they do is spend a lot of time together which is something I have never experienced before.

FK: The Tigers are infamous for leaking what is going on internally, how did that affect the side, do you think?

DN: Now going through it, I feel for the other players that did too. It’s not nice. One thing you want to be able to do as a club, you want your players to leave and have good things to say. They found it hard to find top players when I was there, maybe that was because former players tell them things find their way outside the four walls. The club has made changes, I think that will stop the leaks. Once that stops, it helps the players mentally. We’re human beings, not just athletes.

David Nofoaluma admits he didn’t want to leave Melbourne and return to Concord. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

FK: After everything, how do you feel about the club?

DN: It’s tough to say. The fans are so good. They have always been good to me. But there was a lot of drama. I’m not the biggest talker. I observe and I observed a lot of things. That worked for a while… looking back maybe if I had a bigger voice… I’m part of the history of the club as the greatest try scorer. I was Dally M winger of the year in 2020 when we were at the bottom of the ladder. Sometimes I think if I stayed at Melbourne I might have played in rep teams. But in a way the Tigers will always be a part of me. It was hard being part of a losing outfit for 11 years, it impacts you.

FK: What about this pre-season and the talk about missing training?

DN: There’s always things going on in the background. Certain actions, maybe I shouldn’t have done it. But it’s just what I felt… I didn’t want to be there because I didn’t feel wanted.

One thing for me is, I’m not the type to be fake and, and put a smile on when I don’t have to. In the end, we parted ways, and I think it was the best thing for me and the club.

FK: What things would you have done differently?

DN: Maybe looking at other options to leave quietly but it’s hard when everything is leaked and to be private when you’re at the club. So yeah, maybe it could have been handled differently.

FK: There were suggestions your attitude was a problem, what do you say to that?

DN: There were a lot of outside people saying I was lazy. But you’re not lazy if you’ve played 12 years of NRL. But that talk had to come from internally, because the only people that had seen me training were the people inside the club. I was one of the veterans. After getting the wooden spoon last year, I took the off-season to clear my head. I understand you’re an athlete you have to train. It took a toll on me and I wanted to get away from footy. It also takes me a full two weeks to get back to full fitness. Some boys had started training earlier, I got put in with them and I was at the back of the pack when I started back. I’ve seen top trainers train the house down… you can train like Tarzan and play like Jane. I’ve seen that a lot. But there were a lot of eyes on me and anything I did I was criticised. It affected me mentally. I felt relieved when it was decided to part ways.

David Nofoaluma is looking for a fresh start in the UK. Picture: Tim Hunter.

FK: You’ve had a lot of coaches at the Tigers, do you feel you were misunderstood from them?

DN: Because I didn’t grow up with a father, for me, a coach is like a father figure. I got to have a good relationship with my coach. When we had Michael Maguire. He’ll tell you this story… When we first met, he dropped me. I told him to get ‘you know what’. He called me into his office. I was honest with him and told him my life story. Once he got to know me, he knew how to respond to me. Everyone has different circumstances in life. That’s what makes Bellamy so good. The first thing he asked me was about my life story and from there he knew how to treat me as a person.

FK: Was Maguire your favourite coach at the Tigers?

DN: It was Jason Taylor. He always put the person before the player and the team before the players. When my grandfather passed away he was the one that actually brought someone in to help support me. That showed how much he cared. I know Tigers fans weren’t happy with him because he got rid of Robbie Farah. But the team is always bigger than the player and a lot of people didn’t like him doing that. But for me personally, he’s been the best.

FK: You mentioned having to overcome a tough childhood, can you tell us what it was like for you?

DN: I never had a mother or father. I was raised by my grandparents. I was happy my grandfather got to see me make my NRL debut. When he passed away in 2015, I didn’t want to play footy anymore. But I got the right help and got back on track. I had to do a lot on my own growing up. I think that’s why a lot of the outside noise doesn’t impact me, I’ve overcome far worse. For the things I have achieved on my own, I look back and think I’ve done well. Not having support from parents, I see my friends with their parents… it’s hard. It wasn’t my choice. I’ve had to accept that my parents aren’t in my life.

FK: Are you still estranged from your parents?

DN: They aren’t in my life, my grandparents raised me from the start. My grandmother is my world. I remember I wanted to go do a trade and I got injured while I was playing under-20s. I wanted to walk away but my grandfather said I needed to stick at it and six weeks later I made my debut. But sometimes I find it hard to celebrate my achievements because I’ve never received that congratulations from my parents. My mum spent some time in jail, it’s a lot to take in sometimes but I’ve had a lot of people around me treat me like family. It’s not easy.

Some think I’m distant and it comes across as arrogant. But I find it hard to trust people and get close to them. I’m afraid of getting hurt.

Originally published as NRL 2024: Uncut David Nofoaluma reveals the inside story of his messy Wests Tigers exit