IT’S fair to say it’s been a whirlwind for David Nofoaluma the past year.
After joining Salford Red Devils in 2024, the 32-year-old would play just twice before returning to Australia.
A quick spell in France in 2025 led to Nofoaluma joining Halifax Panthers for the rest of last year’s campaign, where he would score six tries in 15 appearances.
A further two appearances were made for Fax in 2026 before the club went into administration and lost its RFL membership.
All of the Halifax squad were made free agents, with Nofoaluma getting snapped up by Super League side York Knights.
A miraculous two-try debut from Nofoaluma against Hull FC helped the Knights to a 17-16 victory, and now the former Melbourne Storm and Wests Tigers winger has summed up the last few months.
“For myself, it was unexpected before the week even began, things happened very quickly but I was definitely prepared,” Nofoaluma said.
“It was a long journey for myself to be honest and to finally get that chance. I like to think I made the most of it.
“What had happened, it hit me after the Sky Sports interview, I broke down into tears. I thought about everything that went on to lead up to that moment.”
Despite such a rocky journey in the past year, Nofoaluma has insisted that he wouldn’t change anything.
“I wouldn’t take it back; everything happens for a reason and as you can see, I’m pretty bubbly and happy.
“That’s part of the whole journey. Sometimes you have to take one step back to take two steps forward and that’s a prime example.”
The 32-year-old also reflected on the issues that he went through at Salford Red Devils – leaving after just two games – as well as Halifax, whose return to the Championship has now been confirmed.
“The Salford one, I had some personal things that I had to deal with away from the game that started when I left Melbourne to go back to Wests.
“I went to Salford and, to be fair, I just wasn’t enjoying myself playing rugby. After I went back to Australia, I thought that was it and that that was my career done.
“But, just one day I thought ‘it’s not over for me’ and that I should give it one more shot and I ended up going over to France to play there.
“I always knew that I had played all those for years for a good reason. I knew I could still perform and be the player I can be.
“I got a call to come over to Halifax. I got there and had a great year as a team. I re-signed there for another two years and it was just one of those things that happened.
“What happened at Halifax was really sad. I got an opportunity to come to York and I have made the most of it.
“I couldn’t let my professional career end like that.”