BY STAFF WRITERS
Powerful Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs general manager of football Phil Gould has labelled Lachlan Galvin’s time at Wests Tigers “untenable” after a tumultuous 48 hours that began with Galvin confirming that the 19-year-old, 27-gamer, would be leaving the club at the end of 2026.
It began an explosive domino effect which included a “source” telling The Sydney Morning Herald, Galvin did not believe Wests Tigers head coach Benji Marshall could improve his game moving forward and that Marshall ‘couldn’t coach’.
At the same time, Wests Tigers released a statement confirming a monster deal for the local junior was denied by Galvin’s agent Isaac Moses.
“We would like to announce that Lachlan Galvin will not be with the club beyond the 2026 season,” the statement read.
“Despite the club having the largest contract offer for a junior in the history of the club on the table, Lachlan and his management have decided his future lies elsewhere and were not willing to review the offer.
“It should be noted that the club has no intention of releasing Lachlan from his contract, and he has not requested this.
“Obviously, there will be a lot of speculation around this release, but we will make no further comment.
“The club is focused on winning as many games as possible during Lachlan’s tenure and beyond.
“The club is disappointed, but we move on.”
Several Wests Tigers have since posted cryptic messages on Instagram after it was revealed by Andrew Webster on NRL 360 that Galvin fronted the playing group to explain his decision but it was cut short as his frustrated teammates “weren’t copping it”.
A joint message from Galvin… and his dad… was then spoon-fed to Channel Nine journalist Danny Weidler.
Now Phil Gould believes Galvin should be let go by Wests Tigers to take up a new deal despite Wests Tigers confirming Galvin would not be released and has been named for Wests Magpies in the NSW Cup this weekend.
“[His contract is untenable, you can’t come out publicly and say that, even if you wanted to have that conversation behind closed doors,” Gould said during the latest episode of his Six Tackles with Gus podcast on the Wide World of Sports.
“I still haven’t had an answer who leaked that to the media, who told the media was said at the meeting between the player manager and the club.
“Wests Tigers fans are probably feeling they’ve been used up.
“Wests Tigers went through this years ago with [James] Tedesco, Aaron Woods and Mitchell Moses.”
It comes less than 24 hours after the NRL 360 team on Fox League called out Gould for several comments he has made through the media about Galvin in recent months.
“I think he’s the best teenage footballer I’ve ever seen,” Gould said on the same podcast late last year.
“I think what he is doing is absolutely extraordinary.
“Lachlan Galvin will earn more money out of rugby league than any other player in history.
“In the future whoever has Lachlan Galvin in their side will be winning premierships.”
Another time, Gould said he was “obsessed” with Galvin.
The NRL 360 panel called Gould out on Tuesday night as an “obvious sales pitch”.
“Gus Gould, if he’s not the brightest mind in our game, he’s in the top two or three,” host Braith Anasta began.
“I respect him as much as any in our game and his opinion, but this one I just can’t align with, that he’s the best teenager he’s ever seen.
“I find it intriguing this praise from Gus, I find it over the top.”
Many fans and experts are calling for the NRL to step in regarding ongoing “conflicts of interest” within rugby league media, players and the clubs.
