Lachlan Galvin officially axed after ugly Wests Tigers stars mutiny

The Wests Tigers have swung the axe on Lachlan Galvin’s place in the side after several star players took issue with his decision.

Lachlan Galvin has officially been axed for Wests Tigers’ Easter Monday clash against the Eels — and coach Benji Marshall reportedly made the call after demands from senior players, after the young playmaker’s bombshell looming split from the club was revealed.

After Galvin refused to entertain a new $5 million contract and the Tigers announced he would leave after next season, Nine Newspapers and CODE Sports both reported on Tuesday that Galvin would be dropped for the Parramatta game and his No.6 jersey likely given to Adam Doueihi.

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Galvin’s axing was locked in when the team released their playing list for Monday’s contest with Doueihi given his place.

He was one of two outs for the Tigers with Jeral Skelton the other dropped from the playing squad for the Eels contest.

Galvin is out. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

CODE Sports reported that Galvin’s axing came after a player mutiny, with Phil Rothfield writing: “On Monday night the Wests Tigers leadership group, that included Jarome Luai and Api Koroisau, fronted coach Benji Marshall and said they didn’t want Galvin in the team.”

It remains to be seen if this will impact Wests Tigers’ insistence that Galvin will see out his contract, ending after the 2026 season.

Frustrated Wests Tigers players reportedly may want Galvin released from the club early and potential long-term half Latu Fainu (currently injured) brought into the side permanently, earlier reports said, to put the team and its future first; especially given Galvin’s apparent lack of faith in coach Benji Marshall.

A Nine report has exposed tension between not only Galvin and Marshall, but also superstar teammate Jarome Luai.

Lachlan Galvin and Benji Marshall.

It also emerged that fellow young star Fonua Pole liked an Instagram post criticising Galvin.

“Unf---ingbelievable. We give you a shot at first grade and hand you the keys to the franchise with every tool possible around you to succeed cya mate,” said the Instagram post that Pole liked.

“Surely there’s no need to keep him around? Throw Doueihi or Bird at 6 until Latu returns if we’re serious about building and moving forward as a club.”

The Tigers have stated they will not release Galvin early with his deal expiring in November 26, but that could hurt Fainu’s development and may no longer be tenable given the star playmaker’s sudden demotion.

Tigers CEO Shane Richardson would privately be open to releasing Galvin early, provided the Tigers benefit from the deal, which could involve a player swap or a financial incentive like a transfer fee.

Fainu is in the second season of a four-year deal with the Tigers and the 19-year-old has scored three tries in 11 NRL games to date.

Galvin’s future is up in the air. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

THURSDAY APRIL 17

Manly Sea Eagles vs St George Illawarra Dragons at 4 Pines Park, 7.50pm AEST

Sea Eagles team: 1. Lehi Hopoate 2. Jason Saab 3. Tolutau Koula 4. Reuben Garrick 5. Tommy Talau 6. Luke Brooks 7. Daly Cherry-Evans 8. Josh Aloiai 9. Jazz Tevaga 10. Siosiua Taukeiaho 11. Haumole Olakau’atu 12. Ben Trbojevic 13. Jake Trbojevic 14. Jake Simpkin 15. Nathan Brown 16. Ethan Bullemor 17. Toafofoa Sipley 18. Clayton Faulalo 19. Aaron Schoupp 20. Jakob Arthur 21. Caleb Navale 22. Michael Chee Kam

Dragons team: 1. Clinton Gutherson 2. Tyrell Sloan 3. Moses Suli 4. Valentine Holmes 5. Mathew Feagai 6. Kyle Flanagan 7. Lachlan Ilias 8. Toby Couchman 9. Damien Cook 10. David Klemmer 11. Luciano Leilua 12. Jaydn Su’A 13. Jack de Belin 14. Jacob Liddle 15. Blake Lawrie 16. Hamish Stewart 17. Dylan Egan 18. Sione Finau 19. Raymond Faitala-Mariner 20. Finau Latu 21. Lyhkan King-Togia 22. Loko Jnr Pasifiki Tonga

FRIDAY APRIL 18

Canterbury Bulldogs vs South Sydney Rabbitohs at Accor Stadium, 4.05pm AEST

Bulldogs team: 1. Connor Tracey 2. Jacob Kiraz 3. Bronson Xerri 4. Stephen Crichton 5. Marcelo Montoya 6. Matt Burton 7. Toby Sexton 8. Max King 9. Reed Mahoney 10. Daniel Suluka-Fifita 11. Josh Curran 12. Jacob Preston 13. Jaeman Salmon 14. Kurt Mann 15. Sitili Tupouniua 16. Jack Todd 17. Bailey Hayward 19. Blake Taaffe 20. Blake Wilson 21. Jake Turpin 22. Lipoi Hopoi 23. Viliame Kikau

Rabbitohs team: 1. Jye Gray 2. Campbell Graham 3. Euan Aitken 4. Jack Wighton 5. Isaiah Tass 6. Latrell Mitchell 7. Cody Walker 8. Sean Keppie 9. Peter Mamouzelos 10. Tevita Tatola 11. Keaon Koloamatangi 12. Jai Arrow 13. Lachlan Hubner 14. Lewis Dodd 15. Siliva Havili 16. Tallis Duncan 17. Davvy Moale 18. Liam Le Blanc 19. Salesi Ataata 20. Thomas Fletcher 21. Declan Casey 22. Joshua Schuster

Dolphins vs Melbourne Storm at Suncorp Stadium, 8.00pm AEST

Dolphins team: 1. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow 2. Jamayne Isaako 3. Jake Averillo 4. Herbie Farnworth 5. Jack Bostock 6. Kodi Nikorima 7. Isaiya Katoa 8. Daniel Saifiti 9. Jeremy Marshall-King 10. Felise Kaufusi 11. Kulikefu Finefeuiaki 12. Tom Gilbert 13. Max Plath 14. Kurt Donoghoe 15. Mark Nicholls 16. Connelly Lemuelu 17. Josh Kerr 18. Ray Stone 19. Sean O’Sullivan 20. Kenny Bromwich 21. Francis Molo 22. Junior Tupou

Storm team: 1. Ryan Papenhuyzen 2. Sualauvi Faalogo 3. Jack Howarth 4. Grant Anderson 5. Xavier Coates 6. Cameron Munster 7. Jahrome Hughes 8. Stefano Utoikamanu 9. Harry Grant 10. Josh King 11. Shawn Blore 12. Eliesa Katoa 13. Trent Loiero 14. Tyran Wishart 15. Alec MacDonald 16. Tui Kamikamica 17. Bronson Garlick 18. Joe Chan 19. Kane Bradley 20. Keagan Russell-Smith 21. Stanley Huen 22. Lazarus Vaalepu

SATURDAY APRIL 19

New Zealand Warriors vs Brisbane Broncos at Go Media Stadium, 5.30pm AEST

Warriors team: 1. Taine Tuaupiki 2. Edward Kosi 3. Kurt Capewell 4. Ali Leiataua 5. Adam Pompey 6. Chanel Harris-Tavita 7. Luke Metcalf 8. Jackson Ford 9. Wayde Egan 10. Mitchell Barnett 11. Leka Halasima 12. Marata Niukore 13. Erin Clark 14. Bunty Afoa 15. Jacob Laban 16. Demitric Vaimauga 17. Te Maire Martin 18. Tanah Boyd 20. Tanner Stowers-Smith 21. Samuel Healey 22. Freddy Lussick 23. Morgan Harper

Broncos team: 1. Reece Walsh 2. Selwyn Cobbo 3. Kotoni Staggs 4. Gehamat Shibasaki 5. Jesse Arthars 6. Ben Hunt 7. Adam Reynolds 8. Patrick Carrigan 9. Cory Paix 10. Payne Haas 11. Jaiyden Hunt 12. Jordan Riki 13. Kobe Hetherington 14. Billy Walters 15. Corey Jensen 16. Xavier Willison 17. Tyson Smoothy 18. Deine Mariner 19. Martin Taupau 20. Jock Madden 21. Benjamin Te Kura 22. Blake Mozer

Sydney Roosters vs Penrith Panthers at Allianz Stadium, 7.35pm AEST

Roosters team: 1. James Tedesco 2. Daniel Tupou 3. Mark Nawaqanitawase 4. Robert Toia 5. Dominic Young 6. Sandon Smith 7. Hugo Savala 8. Nat Butcher 9. Connor Watson 10. Naufahu Whyte 11. Angus Crichton 12. Siua Wong 13. Victor Radley 14. Zach Dockar-Clay 15. Salesi Foketi 16. Blake Steep 17. Spencer Leniu 18. Ethan King 19. Makahesi Makatoa 20. Chad Townsend 21. Tom Rodwell 22. Taylor Losalu

Panthers team: 1. Dylan Edwards 2. Paul Alamoti 3. Luke Garner 4. Casey McLean 5. Thomas Jenkins 6. Blaize Talagi 7. Nathan Cleary 8. Moses Leota 9. Mitch Kenny 10. Lindsay Smith 11. Scott Sorensen 12. Liam Martin 13. Isaah Yeo 14. Brad Schneider 15. Isaiah Papali’i 16. Liam Henry 17. Izack Tago 18. Daine Laurie 19. Luron Patea 20. Mavrik Geyer 21. Luke Sommerton 22. Jack Cole

SUNDAY APRIL 20

Gold Coast Titans vs Canberra Raiders at Cbus Super Stadium, 2.00pm AEST

Titans team: 1. Jaylan De Groot 2. Tony Francis 3. Brian Kelly 4. Phillip Sami 5. Jojo Fifita 6. AJ Brimson 7. Jayden Campbell 8. Moeaki Fotuaika 9. Sam Verrills 10. Reagan Campbell-Gillard 11. David Fifita 12. Beau Fermor 13. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui 14. Chris Randall 15. Klese Haas 16. Jaimin Jolliffe 17. Iszac Fa’asumaleaui 18. Arama Hau 19. Allan Fitzgibbon 20. Josiah Pahulu 21. Tom Weaver 22. Jacob Alick-Wiencke

Raiders team: 1. Kaeo Weekes 2. Savelio Tamale 3. Matthew Timoko 4. Sebastian Kris 5. Xavier Savage 6. Ethan Strange 7. Jamal Fogarty 8. Corey Horsburgh 9. Tom Starling 10. Joseph Tapine 11. Hudson Young 12. Matt Nicholson 13. Morgan Smithies 14. Owen Pattie 15. Zac Hosking 16. Josh Papali’i 17. Ata Mariota 18. Pasami Saulo 19. Simi Sasagi 20. Jed Stuart 21. Trey Mooney 22. Danny Levi

Newcastle Knights vs Cronulla Sharks at McDonald Jones Stadium, 4.05pm AEST

Knights team: 1. Kalyn Ponga 2. James Schiller 3. Dane Gagai 4. Bradman Best 5. Greg Marzhew 6. Fletcher Sharpe 7. Tyson Gamble 8. Tyson Frizell 9. Phoenix Crossland 10. Leo Thompson 11. Thomas Cant 12. Kai Pearce-Paul 13. Mathew Croker 14. Jayden Brailey 15. Tyrone Thompson 16. Jermaine McEwen 17. Brodie Jones 18. Kyle McCarthy 19. Paul Bryan 20. Jack Cogger 21. Matthew Arthur 22. Jackson Hastings

Sharks team: 1. William Kennedy 2. Samuel Stonestreet 3. Jesse Ramien 4. Mawene Hiroti 5. Ronaldo Mulitalo 6. Braydon Trindall 7. Nicho Hynes 8. Addin Fonua-Blake 9. Blayke Brailey 10. Oregon Kaufusi 11. Briton Nikora 12. Teig Wilton 13. Cameron McInnes 14. Daniel Atkinson 15. Siosifa Talakai 16. Toby Rudolf 17. Thomas Hazelton 18. Tuku Hau Tapuha 19. Jayden Berrell 20. Hohepa Puru 21. Billy Burns 22. Chris Veaila

MONDAY APRIL 21

Wests Tigers vs Parramatta Eels at CommBank Stadium, 4.00pm AEST

Tigers team: 1. Jahream Bula 2. Sunia Turuva 3. Brent Naden 4. Starford To’a 5. Luke Laulilii 6. Jarome Luai 7. Adam Doueihi 8. Terrell May 9. Apisai Koroisau 10. Fonua Pole 11. Samuela Fainu 12. Alex Seyfarth 13. Alex Twal 14. Tallyn Da Silva 15. Royce Hunt 16. Jack Bird 17. Sione Fainu 18. Tony Sukkar 19. Heath Mason 20. Kit Laulilii 21. Solomona Faataape 22. Tristan Hope

Eels team: 1. Isaiah Iongi 2. Josh Addo-Carr 3. Viliami Penisini 4. Sean Russell 5. Bailey Simonsson 6. Dylan Brown 7. Mitchell Moses 8. Jack Williams 9. Ryley Smith 10. Junior Paulo 11. Kelma Tuilagi 12. Kitione Kautoga 13. J’maine Hopgood 14. Dylan Walker 15. Luca Moretti 16. Matt Doorey 17. Sam Tuivaiti 18. Ryan Matterson 19. Joash Papali’i 20. Dean Hawkins 21. Brendan Hands 22. Jordan Samrani

Bye: North Queensland Cowboys

Originally published as Lachlan Galvin officially axed after ugly Wests Tigers stars mutiny