Wests Tigers winger David Nofoaluma produced a career-best season in 2016, continuing his rise as one of the most promising young wingers in rugby league.
In his fourth season of first-grade, the Campbelltown Collegians junior took his game to a new level — producing a career-best 14 tries in the year to finish alongside James Tedesco as the Club’s equal top try-scorer. His 140 tackle breaks (more than six per game) were more than any player in the league through the regular season (next best: 128).
No Wests Tigers player made more metres in the year than Nofoaluma, who finished second in total runs made behind captain and Australian international Aaron Woods.
The winger’s 17 linebreaks were also the most by any Wests Tigers player in the year.
After featuring (and scoring two tries) in his representative debut for the Prime Minister’s XIII in late 2015, Nofoaluma was again selected for representative duties in 2016, named on the wing for City Origin in the annual City-Country match. The game didn’t go according to plan for the 22-year-old, though, who went off injured in the early minutes.
With James Tedesco injured for the final month, Nofoaluma made the somewhat surprising move from wing to fullback for the Club’s few final games of the year, and handled himself with aplomb — registering 244 metres off 31 runs and 10 tackle breaks.
Eligible for Samoa, Nofoaluma could be in line to make his international debut for the Pacific nation when they take on Fiji in a standalone Test match on October 8.
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BY THE NUMBERS: DAVID NOFOALUMA
Games |
Tries |
Metres |
Runs |
Linebreaks |
Tackle Breaks |
23 |
14 |
3064m |
338 |
17 |
140 |
Top Try — Round 22 vs. North Queensland Cowboys
Despite the Cowboys’ best efforts to shut down the overlap created on the right, Nofoaluma would not be denied as his side extended their first half lead against the defending premiers. Stepping off his right foot, Nofoaluma shrugged away from two tackles before carrying three defenders over the line to ground the ball in style.
Best Game — Round 9 vs. South Sydney Rabbitohs
He scored a try off a clever short-side move, but it was Nofoaluma’s continual tough carries out of defence that defined his Round 9 performance against the Rabbitohs. In his side’s 30-22 victory, the 22-year-old ran the ball 20 times for a whopping 225 metres, including two linebreaks and five tackle breaks in the upset eight-point victory.
Magic Moment — Round 23 vs. Gold Coast Titans
His side might have been defeated in the end courtesy of a Jarryd Hayne field goal in the dying seconds, but there was no denying Nofoaluma his magic moment — crossing for a spectacular corner try to tie the game at his local ground of Campbelltown Sports Stadium. Pushed out of bounds, Nofoaluma leapt and kept his balance to ground the ball millimeters inside the line, grabbing his second try of the day and sixth double of his young career.
Milestones and Achievements
50 NRL Games — Round 11 vs. Newcastle Knights
Wests Tigers NRL Top Try-Scorer
City Origin Representative
