@nrlsurvivor said in [Aloiai](/post/1304194) said:
@jd-tiger said in [Aloiai](/post/1304039) said:
@leichardt99 said in [Aloiai](/post/1304028) said:
**‘It was immature’:** New Eagle Aloiai mows down Tigers hierarchy
Christian Nicolussi
Manly recruit Josh Aloiai has taken a pot-shot at Wests Tigers hierarchy by labelling some of their commentary around his swift exit at the end of last season as “immature”.
Aloiai deliberately bit his tongue when he became public enemy No. 1 at the Tigers as he agitated for an immediate release to join the Sea Eagles.
The Tigers made it known at the time Aloiai was chasing better money, that CEO Justin Pascoe had received a text message saying “I’ll never wear the jersey again”, and how chairman Lee Hagipantelis famously declared “he is either a Wests Tiger or he is mowing the lawns at Leichhardt or Campbelltown or painting the change rooms at Concord — as long as he fulfils his contract”.
Aloiai said he had no issues with the Tigers playing group, but had clearly lost respect for a couple of officials as he felt like he was on the end of a “character assassination”.
He responded to Hagipantelis’ lawnmower jibe by posting a meme of him mowing the lawn and the caption , ‘I’ll make sure it’s a super fast track boys’.
“It was immature and it didn’t help,” said Aloiai, in regards to Hagipantelis’ comments. “It fuelled the furnace and gave a lot of people ammo.
“I’m really happy with the way I went out. I got to keep my integrity the way I went out and I chose not to get into a media battle.
“For the first part it [the criticism] was something you can take personally, that whole character assassination. And that was exactly what was happening.
“But the more I thought about it, my friends and family know who I am and what I’m about, and it’s their opinions that really matter.″
Hagipantelis told the Herald on Monday: “Josh represents our past - we are focused on the present and our future. I wish him all the very best. I’m sorry he seems to feel somewhat aggrieved, but I’m very comfortable with the way the matter was dealt with by the club.”
When asked what he would do if he bumped into Pascoe and Hagipantelis next Saturday when Manly and the Tigers trial, Aloiai said: “It is actually a really good question. I personally would be man enough to be civil.”
Aloiai stood to earn around $350,000 this year at the Tigers, and was negotiating an upgrade for around $450,000 in 2022 and 2023. Manly, flush with funds because of Addin Fonua-Blake’s exit, were happy to pay closer to $600,000 a season.
Aloiai, however, denied he had cashed in with a bumper deal at Brookvale. “That’s a lie,” he said.
The chance to play finals football, he said, was a bigger motivating factor, especially given he was yet to do that in five seasons at the Tigers.
“Look at the roster here - it is exciting,” Aloiai said. “There’s Tom Trbojevic, who in my opinion is the best fullback in the game.
“You have got Kieran Foran and ‘Cherry’ [Daly Cherry-Evans] who have won a comp together. I have nearly played 100 NRL games and haven’t played finals footy. I want to play finals football. I feel like we are going to be able to do that here - I am confident that here at Manly we will play finals football.″
Aloiai said Tigers coach Michael Maguire “played a big part in his development” and he was upset with his decision to leave for Manly.
“People don’t know that he initially was disappointed with me and said there would be a missing piece once we start back and you are not part of the puzzle,” Aloiai said.
“He did wish me and my family the best. Me and him finished with a phone call. We had a good talk. That’s when I say there is a lot more to it - there’s no bad blood between me and the players and also the coach.″
And that hogwash in a nutshell is why I don't bother reading the Daily Telegraph or any paper anymore.
I skimmed this story here, and still feel tainted for having skimmed it.
Looks like the article is an SMH article not Daily Telegraph. Christian Nicolussi typically writes neutral or positive articles about the Tigers.
This is the DT article - leans more to JA saying he is morally right.
NRL 2021: Manly’s Josh Aloiai on Tigers split, playing finals football
Josh Aloiai has opened up about his controversial exit from the Tigers, saying the club wouldn’t land a punch on him in a media battle.
Fatima Kdouh
February 15, 2021 - 6:53PM
New Manly recruit Josh Aloiai believes he would win a media battle over his exit at Concord, as the forward labelled comments made by Tigers chairman Lee Hagipantelis as “immature”.
In November, Chairman Hagipantelis told News Corp that Aloiai was “either a Wests Tiger or he is mowing the lawns at Leichhardt or Campbelltown or painting the change rooms at Concord — as long as he fulfils his contract”, after the 25-year old requested an immediate release from his contract.
Aloiai eventually got his release, and could come face-to-face with Hagipantelis and CEO Justin Pascoe when the Sea Eagles takes on the Tigers in 12 days in a trial match at Leichhardt Oval.
On Monday, Aloiai finally hit back at the comments that he believed further added fuel to an already volatile situation.
“I think it was a little immature with everything that was happening. It didn’t kind of help. It fuelled the furnace and gave people a lot of ammo [ammunition],” Aloiai said.
“Just because things that a few might have done at the club … I’m actually really happy with the way I went out. I got to hold my integrity, the way I went out.”
Initially, Aloiai responded to Hagipantelis’ comments with a post on social media with his head photoshopped on to a gardener mowing a lawn with the caption “I’ll make sure it’s a super fast track boys”.
That post was quickly removed.
Aloiai’s relationship with the Tigers administration soured rapidly late last year but the Samoan international has implored Tigers fans to read between the lines and draw their own conclusions over the fallout.
“They have to ask the question would I randomly get unhappy and spit the dummy or has more happened?,” Aloiai said.
“I’m not going to give specifics … I sat down, I was in a position to ask myself ‘do I wanna finish on a media battle? That I would win. Would I win it? Yes, I would if the specifics came out.
“Or do I want to take into consideration all my friends and the playing group at the Wests Tigers.
“Am I willing to put the club, where I played just about 100 games for through a media storm because of a few people?
“Those are the questions I was left with. Or do I be selfless and absorb the punches – as you’ve seen I absorbed a fair few punches – and just say let it be. I’m not going to let a small window at the end overshadow everything that happened while I was at the Tigers.”
Aloiai refused to delve into the ‘specifics’ but did insinuate the fact he remains on good terms with Michael Maguire suggests there was ‘more to the story’ than Aloiai is willing to publicly discuss.
“Funnily enough, people don’t know that he was disappointed with me and said ‘there will be a missing piece when we start back and you’re not part of the puzzle’,” Aloiai said.
“He did wish me and my family the best so me and him finished with a phone call and we had a good talk.
“That’s when I say there is a lot more to it, there is no bad blood between me and the players.”
Aloiai said he would take the high road if he meets the Tigers bosses.
“I personally, would be man enough to be civil,” Aloiai said.
But fans can expect more fireworks on the field where Aloiai is planning to be anything but civil.
“I think that’s the plan to get some time in the trial in trial against the Tigers,” Aloiai said.
“I’m going to be aggressive like I always am.
“I’ve good relationships [with the players]. It doesn’t change football though. I’m going to get out there and I am going to compete.”
