The biggest challenge in Justin Olam’s move to the Wests Tigers hasn’t been on the field, but he’ll have to navigate his way into the side’s backline.
Olam is the Tigers’ new signing, having left the Melbourne Storm in exchange for Shawn Blore.
Olam’s departure has been the subject of speculation since his 2023 season was cut short by a forearm injury in preseason before a knee problem ruled him out of the Pacific Championships.
Throughout the year, he also found himself on the outside, playing with Melbourne’s feeder club Sunshine Coast Falcons at the end of the season.
Olam is now in new colours and determined to reclaim the form that saw him win the premiership and be named Dally M centre of the year in 2021.
“(Pre-season) has been good actually, it’s my first time moving out of Melbourne and I thought it was going to be hard but I’ve got a lot of support from the boys here and all my friends back in Melbourne,” he told Wide World of Sport.
“It’s been really good, I’m settling in well, everyone in the club have been welcoming and nice to me and that’s made it easier.”
Despite the comfort that has come from the support around him, Olam admits that his first NRL club switch will require some adjustment.
“Definitely a weather change, I’m still trying to get used to the traffic and the exits, a few in the tunnels, if you get the wrong turn it adds 30 minutes and $30 with tolls,” he said with a laugh.
“I’m trying to get used to that, knowing my way around Sydney, it’s a little bit too big.”
Olam’s new coach is on a different spectrum than his Melbourne mentor Craig Bellamy, with Benji Marshall in his first full year as Tigers head coach.
The 30-year-old says that he and Benji believe in keeping things simple, training hard, and working hard for each other, which appears to mirror Bellamy’s philosophy.
“I like it, it makes it easier for me,” he told me.
Olam’s move to the Tigers gives Marshall plenty of strike in the outside backs, but the centre will have to compete with Adam Doueihi, Starford To’a, Brent Naden, Asu Kepaoa, and Josh Feledy for a spot.
However, when asked if his goal is to secure that center position, Olam sees things differently.
“My main goal right now is to earn the trust of the boys at training, that’s every session, I’ll train as hard as I can and hopefully they can trust me, and be someone they want to play with,” he added.
“Then after that, my knee is still a little bit injured so get that right and then hopefully go out there and be the best I can be.”
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