Joe Ofahengaue #240

[WT2K]

Joe O 🔥🔥

 

[Aesopian]

 

Big Joe in his new colours ?

The red head sticks out like a sore thumb ?

He looks ??????

Every team needs an angry ranga. Big Keefy should be on the coaching staff to fire up the readheads

 

[JC99]

 

Big Joe in his new colours ?

The red head sticks out like a sore thumb ?

He looks ??????

Every team needs an angry ranga. Big Keefy should be on the coaching staff to fire up the readheads

He must’ve been coaching Brooksy this year ?

 

[Speed2burn]

Big Joe already looks like he just finished a pre season. Hopefully he can recapture his 2019 form

 

[TigerWest]

 

Big Joe in his new colours ?

The red head sticks out like a sore thumb ?

He looks ??????

Every team needs an angry ranga. Big Keefy should be on the coaching staff to fire up the readheads

He must’ve been coaching Brooksy this year ?

The bloke on the right is just happy he is finally having a go?

 

[jirskyr]

 

Big Joe in his new colours ?

The red head sticks out like a sore thumb ?

He looks ??????

Every team needs an angry ranga. Big Keefy should be on the coaching staff to fire up the readheads

He must’ve been coaching Brooksy this year ?

The bloke on the right is just happy he is finally having a go?

Dane Tilse.

Ex-Tiger Lincoln Withers on the left.

 

[Sully]

 

Big Joe in his new colours 🔥

Looks good in our colours. Big year ahead hopefully for him and the team

 

[BAGNF05]

 

Big Joe in his new colours 🔥

Hope they’re feeding him angry pills - WADA approved of course.

 

[rustycage]

Not to be be funny or rude but us not making the 8 for over a decade is nothing to do with my opinion.

This is a fact. This fact though doesn't mean we are viewed poorly or management is incompetent.

A lot of these problems are just your perspective.

And the perspective of 99% of rugby league people I know

Who cares ? Seriously. It's just your assessment of people you know. I know plenty of people and the last thing they do is tell me how incompetent the Tigers management are. I have a lot of friends who are also Tigers supporters.

How many people realistically talk to you every day about how incompetent the Tigers are ? I think most people have the Tigers management ability pretty low on their priorities of things to discuss.

I'd question your sample assessment but I assume you are just using hyperbole.

I’ve been around the game all my life, as an average player at best, coach, and referee. So I know a few and I discuss it a lot. That ranges from NRL players to my wife who patrols the junior league canteen, it’s common knowledge WT are a rabble mate.

Mate which district ? I think this has a bearing on where an opinion is coming from . There’s a lot of bias and things said like the “the tigers are a rabble “ and when pressed on the whys , they come up with a story from 5-10 years ago . Once someone gets an idea in thier head , it’s very rare for people to truely be open to changing it .
This was my whole point about targeting players Not affected by our past mistakes .
I don’t see how you can say we are a rabble when we are one of the only profitable teams in the comp ? To me , manly are a rabble . The sharks are a rabble . The sharks have had a good team since the late 80s yet fall into financial hardship every 5 years . Seriously , if the sway of living in the shire wasn’t there , they would have folded years ago . They have to recruit flat out , and this last crop of juniors is thier first in like 10 years with actual talent .

Another team that’s a rabble , the warriors . Have a whole country to pick from , but can never field a winning team . Have been through 4 owners as far as I can remember , and almost went out of business , when they changed thier name to NZ.
The dogs - have way too many hands in the kitchen , and haven’t fielded a decent team in 5 years , next year will be no different .
Secret bad team ...... NQ. Haven’t won anything , without a certain JT in thier squad , have the most diehard region of football fans in the world to pick from , huge corporate support , yet consistently produce rubbish . Bleed money like crazy as well . This same description applies to the dragons as well

You need to look at things objectively. Just because , you’re having conversations inside your echo chamber doesn’t mean , that it’s a fact . All it means is everyone inside that bubble has the same hive mind .


One of the most profitable clubs in the NRL????

Fact we had to get a loan from the NRL a few years.
Balmain forfeited on a loan and lost there ownership % to Wests and they were bailed out.

But a series of deals with Ben Elias has plunged the Balmain Leagues Club into inextricable debt, after it handed all its assets to its former star Test hooker.

Mr Elias has been lobbying heavily for the controversial $300 million Rozelle Village development on the club's former site, which is now before the state government's independent Planning Assessment Commission. Despite strong opposition from residents who argue that three towers, one as high as 32 storeys, are a gross overdevelopment of the site, more than 7000 letters of support for the proposal have been sent to the commission. This has been largely due to the efforts of Mr Elias, who has been greeting fans at matches and urging them to sign his petition.

What Mr Elias has failed to tell fans is that he owns a 50 per cent stake in the company behind the development, and stands to make millions if it goes ahead. And that company, which bought the club's property for $1 plus the clearing of a $23.5 million debt, is earning hundreds of thousands of dollars from crippling fees charged on loans to the club, which is back in the red to the tune of almost $9 million.

Note - This deal fell through with council not approving.

We have only just cleaned up this mess and yes we made a profit in 2019 only just every other year been a loss understandable with COVID.

I know i am going off topic but this club has been financially on its knees for many years just as well its a joint venture and West's stepped in when they did and i am happy that they control things now at least there is better direction from the board moving forward.

****Ps - State of origin 2 years ago outside Lang park i did not mince words with Elias told him he is a disgrace to the club and should never be allowed in again, Grub.****

This is brilliant. Love ya stuff.

 

[tony soprano]

 

Big Joe in his new colours ?

The red head sticks out like a sore thumb ?

He looks ??????

Big fella too

 

[rihannafan1]

Start of 2022 i think Moses,J Leilua,and Doeihi will fnd it hard to make the run on 13.

The first two *maybe* but AD? I don't think so. He's not a fullback but has serious talent.

 

[BZN]

You’re seeing what you want to see mate

So are you.

Matterson “I want to go to a club where I can win a premiership” 10 months later playing in a preliminary final.

He’s a flog, but I rest my case.

I'm laughing at this one. That is a pretty poor way to rest your case. That doesn't go anywhere near proving that Wests Tigers are a rabble or incompetently managed.

I don't view Matterson leaving as being about the club being incompetently managed. If anything he just proves to me how hard it is to manage contracts within the NRL.

One point that I would agree with is that if you are a winning footy team it's easier to hold onto the players that you want too. That doesn't mean you get it right. If you look at Penrith they are a winning footy team but let's see how they manage their success going forward.

Just to expand, for a relatively young guy to make an assertion that WT are not heading towards success after an already very long run of poor performance, I have to conclude that there are some issues within the club.

...and you do understand that WT is in the business of winning football games? Our competence in this area is surely in question.

You gotta get some better ammo. What issues ? Why does Matterson stating that mean anything at all other than he wants more money.

Yes we have to win footy games. I get that. That isn't the problem. The problem is that you and others keep asserting that management is incompetent or there are some big issues but you can't articulate those issues clearly, rationally and objectively.

We agree completely that the more games we win the better.

Earl, You are DEAD SET RIGHT!
When you have a player like Matterson who wants money (not judging) and breaks his contract early you have a situation.
A situation that isn't regularly seen in league before. Coach and Board make a decision not to upgrade a player under contract, which has consequences good and bad. Matterson was worth more, sure. But I get it totally that if we give him more we expose a weakness in salary negotiation, it could have opened the flood gates to future bad deals.

The board isn't at fault for a player being greedy. Aloiai likewise this time broke a contract. The board is handed the situation. I would have kept him lawn mowing, but that would have lead to team disruption. Signing Joe O with money flowing our way is the best recovery of the situation the Board was handed.

Our Board is probably one of the better ones in Rugby League. They are just handed a team without a fixed home ground, a crowded Sydney basin, passionate fans flowing both ways, an unfair salary cap and competition who do them a disservice. (as well as the Rupert terrorgraph that kicks us every chance it gets. )

IMHO we should be looking out for more forwards. I think that most forwards don't like being a bashing post for a team. If you had a choice of running up against say Jason Taumololo or playing with JT, I think most forwards would choose playing with the bigger pack. Luke Lewis went to Cronulla probably to play with Gallen and not be the center of attention at that team (which then developed a good culture of strong forwards). I digress.

The board isn't responsible for players getting greedy. That's Rugby League. What the board can do is make the best of the situation before it.

[/QUOTE]

You gave me an idea that Russell Packer may have felt he was the only forward capable of being that bashing post for Us after Matulino retired, and found it to be too much pressure.
Now he has a better roster around him (which may release that pressure) allowing him to consistently be the Russell Packer we know he can be...the player that flattened Whatsthematterson!!!

 

[Harvey]

You’re seeing what you want to see mate

So are you.

Matterson “I want to go to a club where I can win a premiership” 10 months later playing in a preliminary final.

He’s a flog, but I rest my case.

I'm laughing at this one. That is a pretty poor way to rest your case. That doesn't go anywhere near proving that Wests Tigers are a rabble or incompetently managed.

I don't view Matterson leaving as being about the club being incompetently managed. If anything he just proves to me how hard it is to manage contracts within the NRL.

One point that I would agree with is that if you are a winning footy team it's easier to hold onto the players that you want too. That doesn't mean you get it right. If you look at Penrith they are a winning footy team but let's see how they manage their success going forward.

Just to expand, for a relatively young guy to make an assertion that WT are not heading towards success after an already very long run of poor performance, I have to conclude that there are some issues within the club.

...and you do understand that WT is in the business of winning football games? Our competence in this area is surely in question.

You gotta get some better ammo. What issues ? Why does Matterson stating that mean anything at all other than he wants more money.

Yes we have to win footy games. I get that. That isn't the problem. The problem is that you and others keep asserting that management is incompetent or there are some big issues but you can't articulate those issues clearly, rationally and objectively.

We agree completely that the more games we win the better.

Earl, You are DEAD SET RIGHT!
When you have a player like Matterson who wants money (not judging) and breaks his contract early you have a situation.
A situation that isn't regularly seen in league before. Coach and Board make a decision not to upgrade a player under contract, which has consequences good and bad. Matterson was worth more, sure. But I get it totally that if we give him more we expose a weakness in salary negotiation, it could have opened the flood gates to future bad deals.

The board isn't at fault for a player being greedy. Aloiai likewise this time broke a contract. The board is handed the situation. I would have kept him lawn mowing, but that would have lead to team disruption. Signing Joe O with money flowing our way is the best recovery of the situation the Board was handed.

Our Board is probably one of the better ones in Rugby League. They are just handed a team without a fixed home ground, a crowded Sydney basin, passionate fans flowing both ways, an unfair salary cap and competition who do them a disservice. (as well as the Rupert terrorgraph that kicks us every chance it gets. )

IMHO we should be looking out for more forwards. I think that most forwards don't like being a bashing post for a team. If you had a choice of running up against say Jason Taumololo or playing with JT, I think most forwards would choose playing with the bigger pack. Luke Lewis went to Cronulla probably to play with Gallen and not be the center of attention at that team (which then developed a good culture of strong forwards). I digress.

The board isn't responsible for players getting greedy. That's Rugby League. What the board can do is make the best of the situation before it.

You gave me an idea that Russell Packer may have felt he was the only forward capable of being that bashing post for Us after Matulino retired, and found it to be too much pressure.
Now he has a better roster around him (which may release that pressure) allowing him to consistently be the Russell Packer we know he can be...the player that flattened Whatsthematterson!!!

If he ran like that every hit-up, he could take out 3 or 4 members of the opposition team. One on each hit-up.

 

[Coastie_Tiger]

Just caught a bit of Joffa on 9 news saying how thankful he is for the Tigers taking him on and how keen he is to repay the faith. Far better than some of the media we've been getting of late.

 

[TigerWest]

Good story, give em hell Joe.

https://www.weststigers.com.au/news/2020/12/07/do-you-want-to-coach-me-awkward-meetings-that-saw-joe-join-wests-tigers/

"Do you want to coach me?" Awkward meetings that saw Joe join Wests Tigers

Two key meetings, both ending on good terms by vastly different means, landed Joe Ofahengaue at the Wests Tigers.

The first meeting was while he was still a Bronco, wearing the maroon and gold he has known since age 17, but wary his time at Red Hill had rapidly run out.

Ofahengaue had already sniffed the breeze of a disastrous wooden spoon campaign and read reports his three-year contract was up for discussion with new Brisbane coach Kevin Walters.

"Kevvy and I have a pretty good relationship ,I think," Ofahengaue said on Monday.

"We talked a lot before he got the job and after he got it, he called me in.

"I wasn't too convinced that it was going to be a good meeting. I went in there feeling I was going to be let go and he told me straight up. That's what I wanted.

"I looked him in the eye and asked if he wanted to coach me and he said if I've got an offer on the table, I should take it.

"And that's what I did. I've got no grudges against the Broncs or Kevvy. I love that club.

"It's given me eight years and it's given me everything I have right now in my footy career."

Talks between Ofahengaue and the Dragons amounted to little, with Brisbane and St George Illawarra unable to land on the same figure for the rest of the 25-year-old's deal.

Having sat down face-to-face with Walters after steeling himself for the toughest of conversations, Ofahengaue feared his first impression on Michael Maguire could cost him.

"It was kind of awkward, I met him on Zoom," he said.

"[Tigers football manager] Adam Hartigan said we're going to have a meeting. I thought it was just Harty, my manager and myself.

"I've gone in and next thing I've got the CEO, the chairman and Madge sitting there. I was shocked. I didn't look presentable, it was awkward for me.

"But I sat down with them, they said what they wanted to say and I liked what Madge said. He wants players here that want to win, that want to work on being the best they can be.

"That's someone I want to be. I want to be a winner, but I also want to work on my craft this year.

"I'm just looking to get better. I'm not looking to be a hero here. I just want to get better, work on my craft and be the Joe I know I can be on the field."

Ofahengaue's on-field output last season went the same way as Brisbane's. Effectively off a cliff.

His average running metres dropped from 116 in 2019 to 91 per game, while tackle busts (36 down to seven) and offloads (16 down to four) led to Ofahengaue losing his Queensland Origin spot.

But with Josh Aloiai agitating for a release and James Tamou and Stefano Utoikamanu shoring up a new-look Tigers pack, Maguire is backing Ofehangaue to find his best once more.

And told him as much, eventually.

"I slung him a text because I didn't hear from him for about a week," Ofahengaue said.

"I said 'mate I really want to come to your club. I loved what you had to say. If you want just give me a call back'.

"Thank God he called me back. We had a wonderful chat for about half an hour while I was at a resort on the Gold Coast. I told my missus 'we're going to the Tigers'."

 

[cochise]

Good story, give em hell Joe.

https://www.weststigers.com.au/news/2020/12/07/do-you-want-to-coach-me-awkward-meetings-that-saw-joe-join-wests-tigers/

"Do you want to coach me?" Awkward meetings that saw Joe join Wests Tigers

Two key meetings, both ending on good terms by vastly different means, landed Joe Ofahengaue at the Wests Tigers.

The first meeting was while he was still a Bronco, wearing the maroon and gold he has known since age 17, but wary his time at Red Hill had rapidly run out.

Ofahengaue had already sniffed the breeze of a disastrous wooden spoon campaign and read reports his three-year contract was up for discussion with new Brisbane coach Kevin Walters.

"Kevvy and I have a pretty good relationship ,I think," Ofahengaue said on Monday.

"We talked a lot before he got the job and after he got it, he called me in.

"I wasn't too convinced that it was going to be a good meeting. I went in there feeling I was going to be let go and he told me straight up. That's what I wanted.

"I looked him in the eye and asked if he wanted to coach me and he said if I've got an offer on the table, I should take it.

"And that's what I did. I've got no grudges against the Broncs or Kevvy. I love that club.

"It's given me eight years and it's given me everything I have right now in my footy career."

Talks between Ofahengaue and the Dragons amounted to little, with Brisbane and St George Illawarra unable to land on the same figure for the rest of the 25-year-old's deal.

Having sat down face-to-face with Walters after steeling himself for the toughest of conversations, Ofahengaue feared his first impression on Michael Maguire could cost him.

"It was kind of awkward, I met him on Zoom," he said.

"[Tigers football manager] Adam Hartigan said we're going to have a meeting. I thought it was just Harty, my manager and myself.

"I've gone in and next thing I've got the CEO, the chairman and Madge sitting there. I was shocked. I didn't look presentable, it was awkward for me.

"But I sat down with them, they said what they wanted to say and I liked what Madge said. He wants players here that want to win, that want to work on being the best they can be.

"That's someone I want to be. I want to be a winner, but I also want to work on my craft this year.

"I'm just looking to get better. I'm not looking to be a hero here. I just want to get better, work on my craft and be the Joe I know I can be on the field."

Ofahengaue's on-field output last season went the same way as Brisbane's. Effectively off a cliff.

His average running metres dropped from 116 in 2019 to 91 per game, while tackle busts (36 down to seven) and offloads (16 down to four) led to Ofahengaue losing his Queensland Origin spot.

But with Josh Aloiai agitating for a release and James Tamou and Stefano Utoikamanu shoring up a new-look Tigers pack, Maguire is backing Ofehangaue to find his best once more.

And told him as much, eventually.

"I slung him a text because I didn't hear from him for about a week," Ofahengaue said.

"I said 'mate I really want to come to your club. I loved what you had to say. If you want just give me a call back'.

"Thank God he called me back. We had a wonderful chat for about half an hour while I was at a resort on the Gold Coast. I told my missus 'we're going to the Tigers'."

Great article, seems like a quality guy.

 

[AdelaideTiger]

Good story, give em hell Joe.

https://www.weststigers.com.au/news/2020/12/07/do-you-want-to-coach-me-awkward-meetings-that-saw-joe-join-wests-tigers/

"Do you want to coach me?" Awkward meetings that saw Joe join Wests Tigers

Two key meetings, both ending on good terms by vastly different means, landed Joe Ofahengaue at the Wests Tigers.

The first meeting was while he was still a Bronco, wearing the maroon and gold he has known since age 17, but wary his time at Red Hill had rapidly run out.

Ofahengaue had already sniffed the breeze of a disastrous wooden spoon campaign and read reports his three-year contract was up for discussion with new Brisbane coach Kevin Walters.

"Kevvy and I have a pretty good relationship ,I think," Ofahengaue said on Monday.

"We talked a lot before he got the job and after he got it, he called me in.

"I wasn't too convinced that it was going to be a good meeting. I went in there feeling I was going to be let go and he told me straight up. That's what I wanted.

"I looked him in the eye and asked if he wanted to coach me and he said if I've got an offer on the table, I should take it.

"And that's what I did. I've got no grudges against the Broncs or Kevvy. I love that club.

"It's given me eight years and it's given me everything I have right now in my footy career."

Talks between Ofahengaue and the Dragons amounted to little, with Brisbane and St George Illawarra unable to land on the same figure for the rest of the 25-year-old's deal.

Having sat down face-to-face with Walters after steeling himself for the toughest of conversations, Ofahengaue feared his first impression on Michael Maguire could cost him.

"It was kind of awkward, I met him on Zoom," he said.

"[Tigers football manager] Adam Hartigan said we're going to have a meeting. I thought it was just Harty, my manager and myself.

"I've gone in and next thing I've got the CEO, the chairman and Madge sitting there. I was shocked. I didn't look presentable, it was awkward for me.

"But I sat down with them, they said what they wanted to say and I liked what Madge said. He wants players here that want to win, that want to work on being the best they can be.

"That's someone I want to be. I want to be a winner, but I also want to work on my craft this year.

"I'm just looking to get better. I'm not looking to be a hero here. I just want to get better, work on my craft and be the Joe I know I can be on the field."

Ofahengaue's on-field output last season went the same way as Brisbane's. Effectively off a cliff.

His average running metres dropped from 116 in 2019 to 91 per game, while tackle busts (36 down to seven) and offloads (16 down to four) led to Ofahengaue losing his Queensland Origin spot.

But with Josh Aloiai agitating for a release and James Tamou and Stefano Utoikamanu shoring up a new-look Tigers pack, Maguire is backing Ofehangaue to find his best once more.

And told him as much, eventually.

"I slung him a text because I didn't hear from him for about a week," Ofahengaue said.

"I said 'mate I really want to come to your club. I loved what you had to say. If you want just give me a call back'.

"Thank God he called me back. We had a wonderful chat for about half an hour while I was at a resort on the Gold Coast. I told my missus 'we're going to the Tigers'."

Fill the club with blokes that have this attitude and hunger and the top 8 becomes a formality. Also noted his 2019 offload numbers were strong, something that we have been missing since Tapau left.

 

[Geo]

Ofahengaue when signed requested all the players phone numbers to call them..

 

[Tiger5150]

Good story, give em hell Joe.

https://www.weststigers.com.au/news/2020/12/07/do-you-want-to-coach-me-awkward-meetings-that-saw-joe-join-wests-tigers/

"Do you want to coach me?" Awkward meetings that saw Joe join Wests Tigers

Two key meetings, both ending on good terms by vastly different means, landed Joe Ofahengaue at the Wests Tigers.

The first meeting was while he was still a Bronco, wearing the maroon and gold he has known since age 17, but wary his time at Red Hill had rapidly run out.

Ofahengaue had already sniffed the breeze of a disastrous wooden spoon campaign and read reports his three-year contract was up for discussion with new Brisbane coach Kevin Walters.

"Kevvy and I have a pretty good relationship ,I think," Ofahengaue said on Monday.

"We talked a lot before he got the job and after he got it, he called me in.

"I wasn't too convinced that it was going to be a good meeting. I went in there feeling I was going to be let go and he told me straight up. That's what I wanted.

"I looked him in the eye and asked if he wanted to coach me and he said if I've got an offer on the table, I should take it.

"And that's what I did. I've got no grudges against the Broncs or Kevvy. I love that club.

"It's given me eight years and it's given me everything I have right now in my footy career."

Talks between Ofahengaue and the Dragons amounted to little, with Brisbane and St George Illawarra unable to land on the same figure for the rest of the 25-year-old's deal.

Having sat down face-to-face with Walters after steeling himself for the toughest of conversations, Ofahengaue feared his first impression on Michael Maguire could cost him.

"It was kind of awkward, I met him on Zoom," he said.

"[Tigers football manager] Adam Hartigan said we're going to have a meeting. I thought it was just Harty, my manager and myself.

"I've gone in and next thing I've got the CEO, the chairman and Madge sitting there. I was shocked. I didn't look presentable, it was awkward for me.

"But I sat down with them, they said what they wanted to say and I liked what Madge said. He wants players here that want to win, that want to work on being the best they can be.

"That's someone I want to be. I want to be a winner, but I also want to work on my craft this year.

"I'm just looking to get better. I'm not looking to be a hero here. I just want to get better, work on my craft and be the Joe I know I can be on the field."

Ofahengaue's on-field output last season went the same way as Brisbane's. Effectively off a cliff.

His average running metres dropped from 116 in 2019 to 91 per game, while tackle busts (36 down to seven) and offloads (16 down to four) led to Ofahengaue losing his Queensland Origin spot.

But with Josh Aloiai agitating for a release and James Tamou and Stefano Utoikamanu shoring up a new-look Tigers pack, Maguire is backing Ofehangaue to find his best once more.

And told him as much, eventually.

"I slung him a text because I didn't hear from him for about a week," Ofahengaue said.

"I said 'mate I really want to come to your club. I loved what you had to say. If you want just give me a call back'.

"Thank God he called me back. We had a wonderful chat for about half an hour while I was at a resort on the Gold Coast. I told my missus 'we're going to the Tigers'."

Fill the club with blokes that have this attitude and hunger and the top 8 becomes a formality. Also noted his 2019 offload numbers were strong, something that we have been missing since Tapau left.

His "weak" 2020 metres stat would have been top end at the Tigers as well.

 

[AdelaideTiger]

Good story, give em hell Joe.

https://www.weststigers.com.au/news/2020/12/07/do-you-want-to-coach-me-awkward-meetings-that-saw-joe-join-wests-tigers/

"Do you want to coach me?" Awkward meetings that saw Joe join Wests Tigers

Two key meetings, both ending on good terms by vastly different means, landed Joe Ofahengaue at the Wests Tigers.

The first meeting was while he was still a Bronco, wearing the maroon and gold he has known since age 17, but wary his time at Red Hill had rapidly run out.

Ofahengaue had already sniffed the breeze of a disastrous wooden spoon campaign and read reports his three-year contract was up for discussion with new Brisbane coach Kevin Walters.

"Kevvy and I have a pretty good relationship ,I think," Ofahengaue said on Monday.

"We talked a lot before he got the job and after he got it, he called me in.

"I wasn't too convinced that it was going to be a good meeting. I went in there feeling I was going to be let go and he told me straight up. That's what I wanted.

"I looked him in the eye and asked if he wanted to coach me and he said if I've got an offer on the table, I should take it.

"And that's what I did. I've got no grudges against the Broncs or Kevvy. I love that club.

"It's given me eight years and it's given me everything I have right now in my footy career."

Talks between Ofahengaue and the Dragons amounted to little, with Brisbane and St George Illawarra unable to land on the same figure for the rest of the 25-year-old's deal.

Having sat down face-to-face with Walters after steeling himself for the toughest of conversations, Ofahengaue feared his first impression on Michael Maguire could cost him.

"It was kind of awkward, I met him on Zoom," he said.

"[Tigers football manager] Adam Hartigan said we're going to have a meeting. I thought it was just Harty, my manager and myself.

"I've gone in and next thing I've got the CEO, the chairman and Madge sitting there. I was shocked. I didn't look presentable, it was awkward for me.

"But I sat down with them, they said what they wanted to say and I liked what Madge said. He wants players here that want to win, that want to work on being the best they can be.

"That's someone I want to be. I want to be a winner, but I also want to work on my craft this year.

"I'm just looking to get better. I'm not looking to be a hero here. I just want to get better, work on my craft and be the Joe I know I can be on the field."

Ofahengaue's on-field output last season went the same way as Brisbane's. Effectively off a cliff.

His average running metres dropped from 116 in 2019 to 91 per game, while tackle busts (36 down to seven) and offloads (16 down to four) led to Ofahengaue losing his Queensland Origin spot.

But with Josh Aloiai agitating for a release and James Tamou and Stefano Utoikamanu shoring up a new-look Tigers pack, Maguire is backing Ofehangaue to find his best once more.

And told him as much, eventually.

"I slung him a text because I didn't hear from him for about a week," Ofahengaue said.

"I said 'mate I really want to come to your club. I loved what you had to say. If you want just give me a call back'.

"Thank God he called me back. We had a wonderful chat for about half an hour while I was at a resort on the Gold Coast. I told my missus 'we're going to the Tigers'."

Fill the club with blokes that have this attitude and hunger and the top 8 becomes a formality. Also noted his 2019 offload numbers were strong, something that we have been missing since Tapau left.


His "weak" 2020 metres stat would have been top end at the Tigers as well.

Hahaha, christ that's depressing.
Safe to say it won't be the case in 2021.