The sacrifice of experienced prop Bunty Afoa to leave his young family in New Zealand to keep his NRL career alive has not been lost on the Wests Tigers.
Afoa runs out for his 150th NRL game at Kogarah this Saturday in a career that began with the Warriors in Auckland in 2016.
The hard running prop played 145 games in nine seasons for the Warriors before joining the Tigers this year.
Wests Tigers Coach Benji Marshall praised 29-year-old Afoa for putting the team first ahead of his own family after accepting a development contract to take up an opportunity in Sydney.
“He’s got a three-month-old baby living back in New Zealand with his partner and he's over here still chasing his dream, so it's tough for him. He is so unselfish,’’ Marshall said.
“Bunty's had to bide his time to start the season with us because our forwards were going so well to start the year.
“I think the last few weeks he has stamped his authority around. He’s still got what it takes to start in the NRL.
“We love what he's brings. He's giving us the ability to bring Fonua (Pole) off the bench where he has been impactful as well.
“(To reach) 150 games, we’re proud of Bunty and we’re happy to have him at the Club.”
