**‘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.″
