Munster hails arrival of loan signing Nofoaluma

With another member of their back line drained facing time on the sidelines through injury, Cameron Munster’s five-eight Storm says Wests Tigers winger David Nofoaluma’s arrival in Melbourne couldn’t have come at a better time.

Nofoaluma, who has fallen down the pecking order at the Wests Tigers in recent weeks and was left out of the NRL side, will join Storm on loan for the remainder of 2022.

The Samoa international is expected to make a straight line-up for coach Craig Bellamy, who could be without full-back Nick Meaney after he left the pitch with a shoulder injury and concussion in the second half of Friday night’s win over the Warriors.

Magic from Meaney

With Storm having already lost Ryan Papenhuyzen, Xavier Coates, Reimis Smith and George Jennings to long-term injuries, Munster said it was a relief to secure a player with Nofoaluma’s experience and ability to advance to the finals.

“He’s obviously a very intelligent winger and a good player with the ball in his hands,” Munster told NRL.com.

“He is a very strong ball runner and he will be very useful for us coming out of the back line. Hopefully we can get some good combinations with him and he can score some tries for us.

“He’s very clumsy to tackle, a very strong player and when he has the ball in his hands he tends to cross the pitch very quickly. He can make you pay.

What a foursome for Nofoaluma

“We were very lucky the Tigers let him come on loan. Maybe couldn’t have come at a better time.

“Everyone is falling like flies at the moment, so hopefully we can get a healthy side there next Friday night against the Titans.”

Prior to announcing a loan deal with the Wests Tigers on Friday night, Melbourne had tried to bring Warriors defender Reece Walsh and former Storm winger Josh Addo-Carr, now at the Bulldogs, on loan for the remainder of the year.

Munster said despite the club’s efforts to try and strengthen the back line, he was impressed with the way wingers Grant Anderson, Dean Ieremia and center Marion Seve filled the void in recent weeks.

“Grant, Maz (Seve) and Dean, pal, they were amazing to us,” Munster said

“They probably didn’t expect to play so many games this year.

They only get better to run and gain experience in this position and I expect a great year for them next year.

Cameron Munster

Meanwhile Captain Jesse Bromwich said he believed his side had turned things around in a 24-12 loss to the Warriors in Auckland, as they held the team to less than 20 points for the first time since late May.

Melbourne face a tough last five regular season games, with next week’s trip to face the Titans the only game remaining against a team sitting outside the last eight.

How did they stop this

“I think we are taking a step in the right direction. I can only feel the attitude towards our defense has changed and I think that’s what we need,” said Bromwich.

“It was definitely a difficult month but we had a really good performance [Friday]obviously we have a few things to work on but I think it will give us a bit of a confidence boost.”

#Munster #hails #arrival #loan #signing #Nofoaluma