As the trial of three men accused of bombing the Kuta nightclub in Bali on October 12 last year began in Dempasar on Monday, Mr Iliffe was reliving the torture of the past seven months.

Josh Iliffe, who was in Bali with the Coogee Dolphins Rugby League Club for an end-of-season football trip, was one of the 88 Australians killed.

The 28-year-old had decided to stay and have a couple of drinks with his mates when the bomb exploded, a decision Mr Iliffe said at the time had cost him his life.

His voice breaking with emotion, Mr Iliffe said he detested the way in which one of the accused, Amrozi, was being dubbed the "smiling assassin" by the media for the constant smile and laughing attitude to the charges brought against him.

Amrozi, the first of the alleged bombers in court, is facing charges of committing terrorist acts leading to mass murder.

"I detest the way he is being shown in the media," Mr Iliffe said.

"They are nothing but murderous cowards and in Indonesia they are nearly being treated as national heroes. I am totally in agreement with the calling for the death penalty."

Mr Iliffe said he had no desire to ever visit the country which claimed the life of his son.

"The past seven months have not gotten any easier. Things don't get any better," he said. "The trial has brought it all back, not that it ever goes away."