Wests Tigers’ rookie coach Benji Marshall has opened up about parting ways with his former teammate David Nofoaluma and discussed who will replace Luke Brooks before Jarome Luai joins the club.
The Tigers decided to release veteran winger Nofoaluma from the final two years of his contract following a series of disagreements with new coach Marshall during the offseason. Nofoaluma received a second breach notice in a month, initially sanctioned for arriving late to an official pre-season training session.
In a recent interview with The Daily Telegraph’s Brent Read, Marshall addressed the Nofoaluma situation and the upcoming addition of Luai to the team. Marshall acknowledged Nofoaluma’s contributions to the club, recognizing him as the club’s leading all-time try-scorer, but stated that it was time for him to seek a fresh start, a decision they both agreed upon.
Marshall successfully recruited three-time premiership star Luai from the Panthers, signing him to a five-year deal starting in 2025. However, Marshall emphasized that discussions about Luai won’t be held within the club this year out of respect for the current players, despite Luai’s significant role in the future plans of the team.
“Focus on what you can control because a lot can change in a year in footy. From my experience, especially last year as an assistant coach, our lack of depth in the halves hurt us throughout the season.
“Having depth in the halves and competition for spots is a positive thing. Players need to earn their spot.
“However, my priority is winning now. Bringing in a player who won’t help us win immediately doesn’t align with that goal. I’m not thinking about a five-year plan; I’m focused on winning now.
“In my playing career, I aimed to win every year. Whether we were favorites or considered wooden spoon contenders, that didn’t matter. What mattered was winning.”
“I want a team that competes on every play and is determined to win every game. That’s the kind of team we aspire to be. While Jarome is a fantastic signing for our club’s future, we won’t be discussing him this year at all.
“I believe it’s disrespectful to our current players to focus on that, and it’s also disrespectful to Penrith to involve them in our discussions.
“I’m also not hesitant to give a young player the opportunity to replace Luke Brooks in the halves. Lachie Galvin is in contention to play in the halves and could be one of the starting players at the beginning of the season. However, he needs to earn his spot. One thing I’ve learned about rugby league players is that if you’re good enough, your age doesn’t matter.”
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