Nofoaluma happy again after struggling on Tigers return

David Nofoaluma admits he struggled with returning to Wests Tigers after last year's stint in Melbourne, conceding the move impacted his happiness and football in the opening rounds.

Nofoaluma made his return for the Tigers in their drought-breaking win over Penrith on Saturday night, crossing for his 100th NRL try in his first game back since being benched in round three.

One of the club's longest-serving players, Nofoaluma went from being outside the Tigers' NRL team for parts of last year to playing for the Storm in the finals as part of a loan deal.

He returned to Concord over the summer but was benched by the Tigers midway through their round-three loss to Canterbury and was again dropped to the reserves.

Nofoaluma said coach Tim Sheens' decision to send him back to NSW Cup had come with the aim of finding happiness in his football again.

"It was a bit tough for me going down to the Storm and finding happiness down there, playing finals and stuff," Nofoaluma told AAP.

"Coming back here, I struggled with that a bit.

"It was just a change of environment (in Melbourne). I could say a whole lot of things, but it was a new club. Like a fresh start for me.

"If I am being honest, I wasn't up to standard when I went down there and I felt that again when I came back."

Asked whether his reaction to being back at the Tigers had impacted his football, Nofoaluma agreed it had.

"If you ask anyone, if they're not happy at their work, they're not going to perform at their best," Nofoaluma said.

"It just goes back to that."

The winger is insistent, though, his six weeks at the Storm did not push him into wanting to leave the Tigers.

"I didn't think of it like that," Nofoaluma, who is contracted until the end of 2025, said.

"I saw it as getting out of my comfort zone. I have always been a one-club player. I was so used to being at one club.

"This club hasn't been so successful for the past 10 years, and I was part of it. For me to try something new, it was exciting."

Nofoaluma's recent reserve-grade spell was interrupted by a foot injury after he fell victim to a hip-drop tackle but he said time away from the spotlight had helped him rediscover his happiness at the Tigers and with his football.

"I've come to realise there is a change happening here," Nofoaluma said.

"One win isn't going to say what the rest of the season is like, but it's about continuing that and surrounding myself with the boys.

"I get my happiness back from how the boys and management of the club approach you and how they treat you. That's what it comes back to."