Api Koroisau has addressed the jab he took at the Wests Tigers — the club he’s joining next season on a lucrative deal — during the Panthers’ premiership celebrations.
The star hooker enraged Tigers fans in a speech he made at a Panthers fan celebration the day after the grand final.
“Just to go out on a high like that, it’s pretty incredible, and I’ll probably do the same thing at the Tigers,” Koroisau said before laughing.
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His comments were slammed “tasteless” by league great Braith Anasta, while Tigers chairman Lee Hagipantelis said the comments were “dealt with privately.”
Koroisau told 9 News he can “understand” the backlash — but it was a joke and suggested Tigers fans took it the wrong way.
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“Many people have said that same joke to me along the way and it just happened to come out,” he said.
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“I obviously didn’t mean anything by it, (I’m) actually looking forward to the challenge that I have there.
“I understand everyone’s reaction, especially the fans of the Tigers.
“They can take it sort of in the way that it wasn’t meant to be interpreted, but at the end of the day, I hope they just chose me on my playing skills rather than my jokes.”
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Koroisau will line up for Fiji in the World Cup after being snubbed by Australian coach Mal Meninga.
However Meninga revealed the 29-year-old was “very close” to selection and was “certainly in the latest conversation.”
Koroisau won’t have to wait long for a chance to prove Meninga wrong. Fiji take on the Kangaroos to kick off their World Cup campaign at 5.30am AEDT.
