Former Warriors utility Tuimoala Lolohea has revealed he "drowned his sorrows" in alcohol during his final months at the club as a way to deal with frustrations over a lack of opportunities..
The 22-year old told the Sydney Morning Herald he struggled with the lack of game time in first grade, and being forced to play on the wing.
Lolohea, who has since moved to the Wests Tigers to play under former Warriors coach Ivan Cleary, admitted he is doing much better with his personal life since heading across the Tasman.
"I got to a point where I felt that just wasn't me," Lolohea told the Sydney Morning Herald.
"I had enough of playing on the wing. I never played on the wing growing up but they chucked me on the wing and first grade and had to stay there.
"I got the opportunity here to get more involved here and I feel like I'm playing some good footy.
"I was overweight. I was unhappy. I was struggling. Playing reserve grade on the wing probably didn't help. I was off it a little bit.
"I've lost six kilograms since coming here and each week I'm feeling better on the field. In the first month at the Tigers, I was struggling and my weight had a lot to do with it."
Lolohea made his Warriors debut in 2014 and went onto play 52 games for the club where he scored 17 tries and kicked 18 goals.
Lolohea signed a deal until the end of the 2019 season with the Tigers.
The utility is set to face his old club in the final round of the NRL's regular season next Sunday when the West Tigers host the Warriors at Leichhardt Oval.
Newshub.
