So, without wanting to feed the beast too much, the NRL’s non-playing chat has been dominated by the saga of Lachlan Galvin and his ostracisation from Wests Tigers.
Benji Marshall fired back at suggestions Galvin is being bullied by teammates when he, alongside co-captains Api Koroisau and Jarome Luai, fronted the media earlier today.
Galvin, the 19-year-old half who enjoyed a blistering breakout season in 2024, turned his nose up at a five-year extension offer from the Tigers, indicating to club powerbrokers that he no longer wanted to be coached by Marshall.
The young gun, who has been heavily linked to Parramatta and Canterbury, is managed by influential player agent Isaac Moses, who is at loggerheads with Marshall.
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Suggestions the teenage playmaker didn’t rate Marshall’s coaching sparked a chain of events that led to Galvin being dropped for Easter Monday’s clash with Parramatta.
“One of our values is team first … when someone’s heart is not in it, it’s hard to take the field with them every week,” Koroisau said.
“We’ve got some guys fighting trying to get this club out of the hole it’s been in the last three years.”
The Tigers coach claimed he made the decision to axe Galvin in consultation with Koroisau and Luai, who said on Thursday that teammates didn’t want to play with someone who did not give Marshall their full backing.
“You disrespect him, you disrespect us as a team, and I don’t stand for that,” Luai told reporters.
“Throwing support behind the coach, what we stand for as a club … we’re working hard to have team-first behaviours.”
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Galvin’s decision to leave at the end of next season was met with ridicule, with winger Sunia Turuva and Luai taking veiled digs at the playmaker on their personal Instagram accounts.
Marshall said he was concerned for Galvin, who appears to be a pawn in the Tigers’ public relations war with Moses, but hit back at suggestions the teen had been bullied.
“I’m all about the mental wellbeing of our players and this has been tough for him and his parents, who are really good people and want the best for their son,” Marshall said.
“I don’t think he’s being bullied by the other players.
“We don’t stand for bullying, and I spoke to the team this morning about it — that’s not us.
“We’re not bullies, our players are not bullies. They had an emotional reaction … but it’s not bullying.
“I don’t think [Turuva] should have done it … but am I going to slap [him] on the wrist for it? No, we don’t need that.”
Sunia Turuva had a swipe at Galvin on Instagram (Getty Images)
Marshall said he was surprised to hear criticism of his coaching, particularly as a premiership-winning five-eighth and his involvement in Galvin’s blossoming career.
Under Marshall’s guidance, Galvin became one the game’s brightest young stars and was named in the Prime Minister’s XIII.
The Tigers rate Galvin’s talents so highly the five-year offer put to him was said to be worth close to $5 million.
“I was shocked by it and a little bit disappointed,” Marshall said.
“Everyone thinks I can’t coach anyway, so it’s not that different from what’s been said.
“He’s played some pretty good footy in the last 12 months and whether that’s because of me or because of him, who knows.”
Marshall flagged that Galvin, who has been replaced by Adam Doueihi at five-eighth in first grade, would be in line for an NRL recall if he plays well in NSW Cup, where he will line up at six for the Western Suburbs Magpies, who play against the Eels at Lidcombe Oval at 12:00pm on Easter Monday.
“He’s got to go down there, play his best, and then earn some trust and respect back and put himself in the frame for selection next week,” Marshall said.
