Nothing in Dufty skirmish: Naden

WESTS Tigers centre Brent Naden has dismissed suggestions he had a physical altercation with former Canterbury teammate Matt Dufty after their game last Friday.

“That was all blown out of proportion,” Naden said.

“Me and Duf are really good mates. We had a laugh after the game. The cameras saw me scruffing him but I scruff Daino (teammate Daine Laurie) all the time, too.

“What they didn’t catch was me giving him a kiss on the forehead and we had a laugh.”

Video footage appeared to show Naden grabbing Dufty by the jersey after their game at Leichhardt Oval, prompting suggestions they had fallen out.

Naden said that couldn’t be further from the truth as he opened up on his rapid-fire switch from the Bulldogs to the Tigers early last week.

Naden spoke to Canterbury head of football Phil Gould last Monday and then, along with his family, met Tigers coach Michael Maguire on Tuesday morning.

Later that day he was named in the Tigers side to take on his former club Canterbury. He had the last laugh when the Tigers beat the Bulldogs.

“It was a weird one,” Naden said. “I went to training on Monday and had a chat to Gus (Gould) and was playing on Friday. There were a lot of centres coming through and there was an opportunity at the Tigers.

“It was probably in my best interests to go to the Tigers and keep my career alive, and do what is best for my family.

“It all happened so quickly I didn’t even get to say goodbye to the Bulldogs boys. I sent a Whatsapp message.”

Naden now wants to make a home at the Tigers and he made a promising start when he helped the club secure its third win of the season.

The club wasn’t entirely foreign to him. He grew up with Tigers utility Tyrone Peachey and knew Laurie from his time at Penrith.

“I knew Tyrone from playing knockout football with him,” he said.

“I had a really good bond with Daine at Penrith. I am excited to be playing some football, excited to be a Tiger.”