‘Need him to play finals’: Awkward dilemma facing Tigers over Galvin backflip

An NRL great says the Tigers may have to consider making a tough backflip on Lachie Galvin as the saga reveals a truth about the sport.

The Lachlan Galvin saga has put a spotlight on player managers who are “chasing money” in an approach that goes against the best interest of young footy stars.

Galvin’s future at the Tigers is up in the air after he informed the club he wouldn’t entertain a contract extension and would leave at the end of 2026, suggesting he would develop better at another club and not under Benji Marshall.

Tigers stars including Jarome Luai reportedly lobbied for the 19-year-old to be dropped for the Tigers’ Easter Monday clash with Parramatta, which is live on Fox League, available on Kayo Sports.

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Panthers legend and Fox League expert Greg Alexander told news.com.au: “The timing of it surprised me and the fact that he bagged the coach surprised me even more so.

“It’s a pretty unique situation because we haven’t had someone as high profile or someone that was commanding as much money or will command as much money bailing out of his club 18 months before.

“The fact that he gave Benji a slap across the chops has made it even more strange.

“This surpasses the Dylan Brown chat earlier in the year and the Daly Cherry-Evans distraction for Manly.

“I didn’t think it was that great. I thought both clubs could just get on with it despite a lot of the talk surrounding Cherry-Evans and Brown.

“This might be a little bit different for the Tigers, the fact that the senior players have involved themselves in the chat and having Lachlan Galvin pushed out of the side.”

The Tigers were tabling a deal worth $6 million over five seasons to Galvin, but that offer wasn’t even entertained.

CODE Sports first reported Galvin’s manager Isaac Moses was armed with the list of grievances — which related to Marshall’s coaching methods and his tutelage of Galvin over the past 12 months — when the player manager met with Tigers chief executive Shane Richardson last week.

Marshall was at the Tigers when Moses orchestrated James Tedesco’s departure to the Roosters and Mitchell Moses’ move to the Eels.

Lachie Galvin’s days at the Tigers are numbered. Picture: NRL Photos

Alexander said player managers were becoming increasingly aggressive in a bid to chase a payday for young players.

“I would say most managers would be chasing as much money as they can, basically,” Alexander said.

“Now, if someone’s willing to offer you a million dollars, you’re not gonna say no, I’ll take $600,000 just so I can keep a level head.”

Panthers coach Ivan Cleary has told the SMH he advised his son Nathan to accept cheaper contracts early on his career to avoid heightened scrutiny.

“I don’t have any thoughts on Lachy Galvin per se, but I’ve definitely got thoughts on young players, the pressure that the big money comes with,” Cleary said.

“I’ve just seen it too many times.

“It doesn’t matter who you are or how old you are, when the price tag comes with it, the expectations just change.

“That’s internally and that’s externally as well.

“No manager ever listens to me, but that’s what I believe in.

“Certainly, Nathan was a case in point. I thought it worked well for him.”

Nathan Cleary accepted cheaper contracts early in his career. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

Alexander said: “Nathan and Ivan are a different kettle of fish, a completely different situation.

“But generally, I would say that managers chase the dollars. Unless your client, the player says, ‘you know what, I don’t want that million there, but I’ll take that $800,000 there, because I think my game will be better there and I think we’ve got a better chance of winning with that club.

“I think that’s a scenario that is believable but that’s the market. If someone’s willing to offer that much money to a player whether you believe they’re worth it or not, that’s the market.”

The Tigers are aiming to make finals for the first time since 2011 and Alexander believes they may need to put their grievances aside and recall Galvin to the team to have the best chance of making the top eight.

“I can understand the Tigers’ attitude to it. It might be a bit kneejerk and emotional but it’s a unique situation,” Alexander said.

“I am not the one that makes the decisions at Penrith but if I had my say on it and it happened at our club I’d be saying — we can do without him, I don’t think we need this player. Let’s just cut ties right now.

“I don’t know if that’s going to happen, but I can understand if that did happen. But then that might be what Lachlan Galvin and his management are after as well.

“The more I thought about it, the more I think they just have to work things out. Lachie Galvin stays there and he plays for the Tigers and everyone gets on with it.

Do the Tigers need Galvin to make finals? Picture: NRL Photos

Lachie Galvin may have played his last game for the Tigers. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

“I don’t know if that can happen, but I wouldn’t mind that being the result.

“There’s a lot of ways you can look at this situation and the fans’ reaction is pretty much spread, you know, over those two feelings — ‘We don’t want him here anymore if he’s gonna say that and do that’. Or, you know, ‘I think we need him to play finals footy this year, we need it’.”

Adam Doueihi will replace Galvin in the No. 6 jersey for the Easter Monday clash between the Tigers and Eels and it remains to be seen if Galvin has played his last game in orange.

“It might not be an easy thing for them just to keep their mind on what they need to, and that’s beating Parramatta,” Alexander said.

“So mentally, I think it’s a real challenge for the Tigers this weekend to, to make sure they focus on the game and not what’s going on around them, which might not be as easy as some people think.

“I think this is a pretty unique situation and Parra might be might be ready for a second win.”

Originally published as ‘Need him to play finals’: Awkward dilemma facing Tigers over Galvin backflip