Just a few short months ago, Wests Tigers’ baby-faced rookie Lachlan Galvin, stood in front of media and declared he was ready to be the leader of a club renaissance.
Despite only being a couple of games into his NRL career and on the back of a remarkable 17-16 win over the Parramatta Eels on Easter Monday, the 18-year-old said he wanted to create a “dynasty” alongside his champion Western Suburbs Harold Matthews Cup team that was coming through and mirror what the Penrith Panthers have done at the foot of the mountains in the NRL.
Galvin’s management had requested a release more than once at the backend of 2023 but that was old fish and chip paper by the time Wests Tigers upset the Eels at CommBank Stadium in April this year.
“One hundred percent, with Benji here I can see myself also being here for a long time,” Galvin told News Corp.
It came after Marshall shocked many by picking Galvin for round two against the Raiders in Canberra.
“In my plans, he is a big part of our future moving forward,” Marshall said.
“Someone that I can see playing the game for the next 20 years.”
This all sounds like two people with a mutual respect and admiration for each other – ready to take on the world.
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“(Benji’s) been so good for me,” Galvin said after the win over Parramatta.
“He shows full confidence in me and it makes me want to go out there and play for him.”
Stop it, fellas!
Get a room.
Anything to add, coach?
“…to produce what he did, just shows his character.”
But what do we think of Galvin’s character, now, a few months later?
The kid from Campbelltown with just ten NRL games and two wins to his name, in a team desperately trying to find their way out of a third-straight wooden spoon, has become the daily headline in Sydney media for weeks.
All despite not hearing a word from Galvin himself.
But Galvin doesn’t need to explain anything.
He has his agent, the one and only, Isaac Moses.
The same Moses behind the dismantling of Wests Tigers previously when he harvested James Tedesco, Mitch Moses and Aaron Woods to rival clubs, all at the same time.
Same bloke previously deregistered by the NRL.
It’s the same Isaac Moses that several clubs, including Nick Politis’ Sydney Roosters, refuse to even speak to.
Sections of the tabloid media can’t keep Galvin’s name out of their mouths.
If only Wests Tigers had Will Smith.
But Wests Tigers CEO Shane Richardson revealed it wasn’t all on Moses.
“Everybody likes to blame managers,” Richardson began on Channel Nine’s 100% Footy.
“Isaac and I, we had a reasonably fervent discussion on Friday – there’s a whole lot of head banging in his ears.
“He’s become great overnight, and a champion and I understand that and then everybody’s in his ear saying, ‘You could be here’.
“I will say this to any club out there that thinks they can chase Lachie Galvin: There’s a thing called anti-tampering.
“And if you think for one minute, for one minute, I won’t take it to the NRL, you’re kidding yourself.”
This whole thing feels like a seismic abuse of power and how certain clubs are dictated to.
The NRL has never felt more uneven.
According to reports, Galvin (and or his) family became frustrated with several halves signings Wests Tigers made in 2023, long before the Eagle Vale junior made his NRL debut.
The five-eighth has been rested for this week’s game against the Gold Coast Titans after playing for several weeks with a hand injury.
“The (anti-tampering) rules are there for a reason,” NRL CEO Andrew Abdo told media on Wednesday.
“It’s important to protect the integrity of the game.
“It’s important for all stakeholders, not just the players but the clubs themselves and the fans. We take this very seriously.
“The clubs, players and the agents are all aware of what the rules are.
If they break the rules, there will be serious consequences.”
Ironically, and in a perfect world, Wests Tigers signed Panthers superstar Jarome Luai with a view of eventually making Luai and Galvin their long-term halves.
There’s now whispers out there Galvin would love to play alongside Nathan Cleary at Penrith.
But the fact is, Galvin is under contract.
Wests Tigers want him and have offered him an upgrade.
In a few years from now, Luai and Galvin could be doing a lap of honour at Accor Stadium on the first weekend of October with the premiership trophy in Wests Tigers colours.
Galvin just needs to bite down hard, man up and get on with 2024.
If he does, this whole thing will go away as quickly as it started.
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