The newest Wests Tigers recruit opened up about the fateful meeting with Walters that ultimately ended his career at Red Hill after his first training session at Concord on Monday. “Kevvie and I have a pretty good relationship … I seem to think so. But we talked a lot before he got the job and after he got the job he called me in (for a meeting),” Ofahengaue said.
Watch the 2020 Autumn Nations Cup LIVE on beIN SPORTS with Kayo. New to Kayo? Get your 14-day free trial & start streaming instantly >

“But I wasn’t too convinced it was going to be a good meeting so I went in there with the feeling that I was going to get let go. “He told me straight. I looked him in the eye and I asked him if he wanted to coach me and he said ‘if I had an offer on the table then I should take it’.“That’s what I did. I have no grudges against the Broncs or Kevvie. I love the club, it has given me eight beautiful years.”Ofahengaue admitted the bold move was ‘nerve wracking’ but found the courage to have the blunt conversation with the Broncos new coach after talking to one of his closest teammates at Red Hill.“I had a good to chat to one of my teammates there, I won’t say his name, he’s had a lot to do with my footy there (at Brisbane) and he said ‘why don’t you just ask him, forget about what everyone is writing in the newspaper just go up to Kevvie and ask him’ and I did that,” Ofahengaue said.

“It was a bit nerve wracking for me but I was straight with him and he was with me … and now I’m here.”‘Here’ is the Wests Tigers after the Broncos released Ofahengaue from the final two years of his deal to join the Concord club until the end of season 2023. While the 25-year old’s first meeting with Tigers coach Michael Maguire was more positive, Ofahengaue revealed it was just as awkward as his last meeting with Walters. “It was awkward to be honest, I met him on Zoom. Adam Hartigan (Tigers football manager) messaged my manager saying we are going to have a meeting,” Ofahengaue said. “I thought it was just us three. So I’ve gone on there and next thing you know I’ve got the CEO, the Chairman and Madge sitting there … I was just shocked. “I was like ‘Oh shit’, I’ve got a jumper on, I don’t look presentable.”

But that awkward meeting was enough to convince Ofahengaue to sign with the Tigers. “I liked what Madge had to say. He wanted players here at Tigers that wanted to win. Players that want to work on being the best they can be,” he said.“I didn’t hear from him for about a week, so I sent him a text and I said ‘mate, I really want to come to your club. If you want me just give me a call’.“Thank God he called me back.” Ofahengaue conceded that just like the rest of his Broncos teammates, his on-field showing in season 2020 wasn’t up to standard. But the former Maroons forward is confident he can find the form that earned him State of Origin selection.“I played Origin a year ago, so it’s not like I have forgotten how to play footy. I just have to make sacrifices and I know Madge is going to be busting my arse at training,” Ofahengaue said.



Source link