Tigers star stripped of leadership role after boozy night

Wests Tigers winger David Nofoaluma has reportedly been stood down from the club's leadership group allegedly after showing up to training hungover.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Nofoaluma attended the wedding of Tigers chairman Lee Hagipantelis' daughter, and subsequently showed up to training the following morning allegedly hungover and unable to finish the session.

Coach Michael Maguire, chief executive Justin Pascoe and head of football Adam Hartigan were also at the wedding, the newspaper reports.

The incident occurred three days after the club's Round 11 loss to the Warriors, but Nofoaluma was cleared to play the following round in a clash against the Dragons, in which he scored a try as the club defeated St George Illawarra.

The Tigers' senior leadership group now only features James Tamou, Luke Brooks, Alex Twal and Adam Doueihi.

It's understood 27-year-old Nofoaluma shares a close relationship with Hagipantelis' daughter after he stood by her side during a leukaemia battle in 2014.

The report by the Herald also claims sources have revealed to them a growing discontent among the playing group in regard to Maguire is at an all-time high.

It comes after the Tigers coach said the club needs "to find men that are going to be accountable" following the 38-22 loss to South Sydney.

The comments were during the post-match press conference, with that same media hearing also featuring a back and forth between South Sydney coach Wayne Bennett and journalists over club management issues with rival teams.

Following a Saturday fixture of NRL, which saw Manly defeat the Bulldogs by 66, Gold Coast down Canberra by 38 and the Knights with a 38-point win over the Cowboys, the South Sydney coach was asked if he thought players were struggling to cope with the NRL's new rules.

"Management of clubs has a huge result on performances at the moment," Bennett told reporters after the match.

"Clubs have to take a hell of a lot more responsibly than what they're taking for the way the game is being played. It's as simple as that.

"I'm not going to name names and I'm not going to name clubs, but if you look at some clubs and the decisions they've made, some of the things that have happened with players, I wouldn't want to be in that club.

"I know if I was in that club I wouldn't be playing very well."

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