TIGERS RELEASE NOFOALUMA

Veteran Tigers winger David Nofoaluma has played his last game for the Tigers after reportedly being served an agreement to a severance with the club.

The club officially announced his contract had been terminated on Tuesday evening.

"Wests Tigers  has today released winger David Nofoaluma from the remaining two years of his playing contract," the club wrote in a statement

"The club and player have agreed to terminate the contract by mutual consent, effective immediately.

"Interim CEO Shane Richardson has thanked Nofoaluma for his services to Wests Tigers 

“We thank David for all that he has given to this club over the past decade,” said Richardson.

“We wish David all the very best with his future.”

The Tigers, who have entered a new era in 2024 and have been heavily active in signing players and potentially releasing others as they look for a full roster rebuild under Benji Marshall, are chasing a finals berth for the first time in more than a decade this season.

The back-to-back wooden spooners, who head into 2024 with an entirely new board after Justin Pascoe and Lee Hagipantelis were relieved of their duties at the back-end of 2023 following a review into the club's operations, have been at war with their veteran winger for some time.

A report from The Sydney Morning Herald suggests the severance package agreed to between the parties is in the realm of $300,000.

Despite having a distinguished career where he has scored 100 games in 192 games for the Tigers, Nofoaluma, who was also loaned out at the end of 2022 for a brief period to the Melbourne Storm, was reportedly told by new coach Benji Marshall that he wouldn't play first-grade again at the Tigers late last year.

Nofoaluma complained to the RLPA over the alleged comments, suggesting unfair treatment from the club's coaching staff with the winger also seeking legal advice over where he stood.

That perceived unfair treatment led to his first breach from the club after he refused to train, and then arrived late to training following a fortnight of discussion between himself, the club and the RLPA.

A second breach that has ultimately led to his termination, according to the Sydney Morning Herald report, suggests Nofoaluma suffered a bout of gastro last week, and while he notified a club official he wouldn't be able to train, he was then uncontactable through the club doctor over the next 48 hours.

The situation ended with a player being sent to his house to check on the winger's welfare.

It was understood a board meeting was set for Wednesday, however, that now won't be needed.

Nofoaluma, while suggesting he wanted to fight for his place at the Tigers following his loan stint at the Storm, didn't shy away from the fact he enjoyed his time in a successful environment that has been created at the Storm, something he can't say has been the case during what has been now more than a decade at the joint-venture.

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