Nothing is guaranteed in rugby league, even less so on a train-and-trial deal.
But after a turbulent month of highs and lows, Tino Tavana’s loyalty to the Wests Tigers is as iron-clad as you’ll find in the NRL – and his journey is emblematic of a side once again on the rise.
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Following a night to forget in the Wests Tigers’ round nine thrashing to Cronulla last month – where six errors, two missed tackles and some hesitation under constant aerial raids gave coach Benji Marshall cause to push him into reserve grade – Tavana made a jubilant return to NRL in last weekend’s 22-16 win over Canterbury.
The 21-year-old has been named on the wing for Sunday’s much-anticipated battle against Penrith, where the Tigers are eager to return to their early-season form.
“The boys already have my loyalty, but having their support has made it so much more meaningful. It made me feel that this is where I want to be, and I’m happy to stay there now,” Tavana said of his return to the Tigers’ first grade squad.
“I feel like I belong, the club makes me feel like I belong, especially the coaches and the boys. It makes it easier for me.”
Speaking with foxsports.com.au, Tavana opened up the culture at the Tigers, the phone calls that got him through the worst of the Sharks aftermath, and why coach Benji Marshall has struck a perfect balance between coach and friend.
Tino Tavana.Source: Getty Images
BOUNCING BACK AFTER THE SHARKS LOSS
The Tigers’ 52-10 loss to the Cronulla Sharks in early May was a crucial flashpoint for Benji Marshall’s men in general.
Before that game, the Tigers carried a promising 6-2 record through the season and looked to be forming some special combinations across the park, boasting the second-best defence in the league.
It all unravelled against the Sharks, the first of three consecutive losses on a night where Braydon Trindall and Nico Hynes had a field day and playmaker Adam Doueihi went down with injury.
While Tavana was by no means the lone cause of the Tigers’ defeat, he was made an easy scapegoat courtesy of some errors and poor judgment in defence.
As he recalled, Marshall sat him down afterwards and gave his thoughts openly and methodically.
“Benji said to me that I have things there that prove that I’m a first-grader, and there’s also things there that were shown in the game that I need to work on and just more that confidence,” Tavana said. “Benji, the boys and the staff have been around me since then, which has been pretty good.”
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For the next two weeks, Tavana went back to the Western Suburbs Magpies in the NSW Cup to find his confidence. But rather than treat the spell as a demotion, Marshall encouraged the winger to improve himself and get back to where he know he can be.
“Reserve grade, to me, people think it’s a demotion and it’s the end of the world,” Marshall explained. “But it’s also a great place to develop and learn your craft and come back into first grade.
“When people get dropped back there they see it as the worst thing in the world but sometimes it’s a blessing in disguise, you go back and get some confidence back.”
Tavana showed promise in the Magpie’s 38-22 win over the Storm the following week, with a try, 164 run metres and six tackle breaks – albeit with another five errors. A week later in the Magpies’ 28-14 loss to Penrith, he put up 205 run metres and fewer errors again.
More than that, the spell gave Tavana the opportunity to work on his mindset.
“Benji has been talking to me about seeing things in a different point of view, compared to what others are seeing it as,” he explained. “He wanted me to go back and work on things that I needed to work on, and really gain that confidence back that I had two weeks before.
“One hundred per cent (he explains his reasoning and he’s transparent). I feel like he makes it easy and comfortable for us to open up to him as players or as people outside of footy.
“It feels a lot easier when it’s him that you can talk to as a coach or just as a person.”
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – MAY 30: Faaletino Tavana of the Tigers celebrates with team mates after scoring a try during the round 13 NRL match between Wests Tigers and Canterbury Bulldogs at CommBank Stadium, on May 30, 2026, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
WHY BENJI MARSHALL’S COACHING TRANSPARENCY MATTERS
Former premiership winner Luke Keary believes Marshall is helping pioneer a new breed of younger coaches with a more transparent philosophy – alongside the likes of Kieran Foran and Dean Young.
Not only are these new wave of mentors not afraid to make big decisions, but they also do so with clear reasoning.
The fact that Marshall is still relatively close to his playing years (retiring at the end of 2021) means he holds more relevance and standing among younger players, too.
“I think what Benji’s done has been outstanding,” Fox League’s Keary said.
“The game has changed and when I first came in the grade you just got told what to do and didn’t get explanation. That’s just how it was… just go do your thing and when it’s your time to be called up, you’ll be called up.
“If you get dropped, you’re dropped — don’t ask questions. But now we’ve seen these younger coaches starting to come onto the scene and they understand that the new players a lot better and we’re just seeing that transparency is a very important thing now.
“Whether that’s important to me or you it doesn’t really matter, but it’s very important to all these young guys. I think what he’s done there, and you could tell the influence he’s had on that team and those players, they all love him and the way they speak about him.”
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – APRIL 29: Wests Tigers head coach Benji Marshall speaks to the media during a Wests Tigers NRL press conference at Leichhardt Oval on April 29, 2026 in Sydney, Australia. Jarome Laui has agreed to a contract with the PNG Chiefs for their inagural 2028 season. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
IS TAVANA EMBLEMATIC OF THE TIGERS’ RETURNING TO FORM?
Tavana’s return comes at a promising time for the Tigers, who recently re-signed Bula, Haemasi Makasini, Turuva, Terrel and Taylan May on new deals, and look to be returning to a stronger roster after a big run with injuries.
The playing group is clearly tight, too. The Campbelltown junior said he received support from the likes of Jarome Luai, Sunia Turuva, Alex Twal and Doueihi, as well as constant check-ins from star fullback Jahream Bula in the weeks that have followed.
“The senior boys – Romey, Teets, Twally, AD – I remember after the game, I know they could see that my head was down, but they just got around me,” Tavana recalled.
“Even Jahream as well – he would give me a call here or there, just to check in on me. That was throughout.
“It made me feel special.”
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Tavana more than vindicated Marshall’s decision to promote him back to the top side in the win against Canterbury. He looked a picture in defence, offered some handy touches, including a try in attack, and showed more poise and confidence under the high ball.
“I thought he was awesome against the Bulldogs,” said Marshall.
“His last game he had a fair bit go against him, and that’s enough sometimes to break a young fella’s confidence, to the point where they’re very hesitant when they come back.
“Just to see him go up and attack that first kick that he got, and to score, that’s a great sign of resilience for a young kid who is on a train-and-trial deal – let’s be honest. He’s doing himself really proud to be on our team.
“He’s earned his opportunity and I just love the way that he had a bit of time off, went back into reserve grade, and earned his way back into the team.”
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – MAY 30: Tigers coach, Benji Marshall looks on during the round 13 NRL match between Wests Tigers and Canterbury Bulldogs at CommBank Stadium, on May 30, 2026, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
The Tigers’ highly anticipated Penrith clash on Sunday will be an important game for several reasons.
It offers Marshall the best gauge of where his side is at – taking on a team that has lost only one game this year – and will also be a barometer for whether the Tigers’ early-season form can be reinstated.
The Tigers have lost Twal to a medial injury, but have named Makasini to start despite a feared AC joint shoulder injury. Furthermore, the side is close to welcoming back Doueihi, and has its leader Api Koroisau back at hooker, holding the team together in attack and defence.
The Tigers are eager to be back playing their best footy, irrespective of the team or the outcome. Tavana is living proof: he said he has no qualms going head-to-head with prolific try scorer Tom Jenkins on the opposite wing, and is ready for anything Nathan Cleary throws at him in attack.
“Sometimes you have your good days and sometimes you have your bad days, and it’s what you do next that will set you up,” Tavana said.
“My first goal that I wanted to do was be consistent, whether it was in NSW Cup, whether it was in grade. For me it was being fully consistent and then hopefully make that debut jump sooner or later.
“I want to get back to consistency, especially in first grade but also in Cup. Consistent footy, as well as finals footy too.”