Phil Gould vs The Truth: Gus’ fiery on-air row with journalist exposes discrepancies in his Lachlan Galvin narrative

Bulldogs supremo Phil Gould’s blazing row with a senior NRL journalist on television revealed even more discrepancies in his shakey Lachlan Galvin narrative. We separate fact from fiction.

Canterbury general manager of football Phil Gould was involved in a blazing row with a senior NRL journalist on television after being accused of misleading the public over the Lachlan Galvin saga.

Gould told Nine journalist Michael Chammas to “watch your words, son”, after the Bulldogs football boss was challenged about conflicting statements on Galvin.

Gould declared a month ago that the Bulldogs “won’t be involved in the Lachlan Galvin discussion”. However, Canterbury now look set to sign the 19-year-old to a three-and-a-half-year deal with an immediate switch from the Wests Tigers.

Gould has since faced criticism over those and other comments he made, and it came to a head when he clashed with Chammas on Channel 9’s 100% Footy show on Monday night.

Phil Gould and Michael Chammas clash on 100% Footy.

Adding to the intrigue, also on the panel show was NRL legend Cameron Smith, who is managed by Galvin’s agent, Isaac Moses, with whom Gould recently ended a long feud.

With Smith and host James Bracey watching on, Chammas and Gould went toe to toe over several issues.

Galvin dropped a bomb on the Tigers in April when his management told the club he would not be there when his contract expired at the end of the 2026 NRL season.

It ignited speculation of where Galvin could end up, with Parramatta coach Jason Ryles confirming his club’s interest.

Tap or slide the interactive to reveal Gould’s conflicting statements

The Bulldogs were also touted as a potential landing spot, given Gould’s lavish praise for the five-eighth over the past two years.

However, Gould attempted to pour cold water on that speculation last month.

“We are not involved in the Lachlan Galvin discussion and we won’t be involved in the Lachlan Galvin discussion,” Gould told Nine newspapers on April 21. “We wish him all the best.”

On Monday night, Gould took issue with Chammas, and the broader media, for creating “gibber” and saying “things that just aren’t true”.

“It has an effect on the players and their families. And that’s what you don’t see. And that’s the thing we’ve got to mop up. That’s the thing we’ve got to do,” Gould said.

Chammas hit back, asking: “Then when we ask you about these things, is that why then you mislead us with what the information is?”

Tap or slide the interactive to reveal Gould’s conflicting statements

Gould was unimpressed.

“I never, at any time, said we weren’t interested,” Gould said. “What I said was, that we’re on a different course. He’s not in our plans because he wasn’t off contract until 2027. We couldn’t talk to him until November.”

Chammas then questioned how Gould could believe that Galvin would see out the final 18 months of his contract, given how his relationship with the Tigers — and the playing group — had deteriorated so badly and so publicly.

“We all knew he was going to leave, Chammas said.

“Well I didn’t know ,” Gould responded. “You want that to be the truth. That’s the scenario you want to create.

“I didn’t see it happening that way at all. Not at all.”

However, that is at odds with what Gould said on the Six Tackles with Gus Podcast on April 16 when he declared: “It can’t go on.

“It’s not going to last. He’s prepared to play out his contract for the next 18 months. “We all know that that’s going to be untenable.”

Chammas then asked Gould what he thought about other NRL clubs, who were complaining that he was able to so publicly praise Galvin in his role as a Channel 9 commentator.

“I don’t give a rats what other clubs think. You mistake me for someone who cares,” Gould said.

“What I don’t like is being sit here with a bloke like you, questioning my credibility.

“You’re saying I misled you. I misled no one.

“Mind your words, son.”

The fiery exchange came two weeks after Chammas was stood down from the show at the request of Parramatta Eels star Mitchell Moses and his manager, Isaac Moses.

FUL TRANSCRIPT: GOULD V CHAMMAS

Chammas: I don’t think the Galvin camp was delighted that it came out the way it did yesterday. I don’t think he’s going to backflip on his decision. He’s told the club. He’s obviously been impressed by Cameron Ciraldo. He’s obviously got a relationship with Luke Vella, the assistant coach, who coached him at Westfields Sports. And I listened to what Gus said earlier about him having no involvement. Is that right, that you weren’t even at the dinner the other night?

Gould: I haven’t met Lachlan Galvin.

Chammas: Why do you not turn up to such a big decision?

Gould: What I do know is there is not another CEO, another general manager or a recruitment manager that has to sit on a panel and answer these questions, week in, week out.

Chammas: But that’s your choice, Gus.

Gould: I’m just saying, you get free licence here. What I’m saying is that these are things we do internally. Most of our issues, internally, are created by the gibber in the media, and what you want to do and extend on it.

Chammas: But it’s not gibber. We predicted it was going to end up (with Galvin) at the Bulldogs.

Gould: It is gibber. It is gibber. You say a lot of things that just aren’t true. And you say a lot of things that are exaggerated.

Chammas: We played a highlight clip of what you’ve said over the past few months.

Gould: You’re exaggerating. You’re exaggerating.

Chammas: Tell me which one?

Gould: All of it.

Chammas: Yeah, but we hit you about Lachlan Galvin …

Gould: You exaggerate figures. You exaggerate what’s going on and that makes it difficult for us. Now I don’t want to sit here and point out everything that you’ve done wrong. It doesn’t worry me and it doesn’t influence me. But it certainly has an effect on the players. And it has an effect on the players and their families. And that’s what you don’t see. And that’s the thing we’ve got to mop up. That’s the thing we’ve got to do.

Chammas: Is that why, then when we ask you about these things, is that why you mislead us with what the information is?

Gould: what have I misled you on?

Chammas: well, the Galvin situation for one.

Gould: How have I misled you?

Chammas: Leo Thompson, you said that …

Gould: How did I mislead you on Lachlan Galvin?

Chammas: Gus, you were three steps ahead of everyone. To suggest that you didn’t think that Galvin could become …

Gould: You say that. You say that. How did I mislead you on Lachlan Galvin? Go back to everything I said.

Chammas: You said you weren’t interested?

Gould: What?

Chammas: You said you weren’t interested.

Gould: I never, at any time, said we weren’t interested. What I said was …

Chammas: He’s not in your plans.

Gould: … That we’re on a different course. He’s not in our plans because he wasn’t off contract until 2027. We couldn’t talk to him until November.

Chammas: Yeah, but we all knew he was going to leave. We all knew that was going to … you could see …

Gould: Well I didn’t know that. I didn’t know that.

Chammas: Oh come on, Gus.

Gould: No, you’re surmising that now because it’s happened. You want that to be the truth.

Chammas: At the time we were all saying ‘how is this going to be tenable?’

Gould: You want that to be the truth. That’s the scenario you want to create.

Chammas: You didn’t see it happening that way?

Gould: No, I didn’t see it happening that way at all. Not at all.

Chammas: I said to you, I joked about it on here that I don’t think it’s a coincidence that you ended your feud with Isaac Moses.

Gould: Why did you assume that I knew that? Why did you assume? Because it suits your narrative.

Chammas: It’s not about narratives.

Gould: It suits the media’s narrative.

Chammas: You ended your feud with Isaac Moses at the end of last year …

Gould: You go back and have a look at everything I’ve said about Lachlan Galvin and what’s transpired and everything I said was 100 per cent the truth, at the time.

The goalposts moved this week when they came back and said ‘he could be available now’.

Chammas: I don’t doubt that.

Gould: Which I took to the coaches and the coaches went and met with him, not me. The coaches went and met with him.

Chammas: I don’t doubt that.

Gould: I met with the manager Thursday after coach came back and said ‘this could be an option’. It wasn’t my decision. Coach’s decision.

Chammas: So how does it sit with you then when Andrew Webster writes today (in The Australian) that there is that are clubs are up in arms, and you spoke about it, you have to come on here and …

Gould: I don’t give a damn about anything Andrew Webster writes, or any journalist in this town, to be honest.

Chammas: But the clubs are obviously starting to say, why can Galvin publicly court Lachlan Galvin, tell everyone he’s the best player …

Gould: how did I publicly court Lachlan Galvin?

Chammas: Well, what you’ve said about him.

Gould: What did I say?

Chammas: You praised him like I’ve never heard before.

Gould: I’ve praised a lot of players. I’ve praised Cameron Smith. Did I ever offer you a contract, Cameron?

Cameron Smith, who you could have forgotten, at this point, was also on the panels with host James Bracey, watching this exchange unfold.

“No,” Smith said with a laugh.

Gould: No, never. Nor would I think you’d ever become available.

Chammas: Do you care though, that other clubs are saying stuff to the NRL?

Gould: I don’t give a rats what other clubs think. You mistake me for someone who cares.

What I don’t like is being sit here with a bloke like you, questioning my credibility.

Chammas: I’m not questioning your credibility.

Gould: You are. You said I misled the public. You said I misled you.

Chammas: that’s what everyone’s saying at the moment.

Gould: No, you’re saying it. You’re saying I misled you. I misled no one.

Chammas: when we’re talking about the Galvin situation, there are a number of issues over a number of years …

Gould: I misled no one. I misled no one. Mind your words, son.

Smith: Is there a chance he doesn’t even end up at the Bulldogs? Cause I’m hearing that his first preference is Parramatta?

Chammas: I think, for a while, everyone thought he was going to parramatta. And the talk was, potentially, his manager wanted him to go to Parra, play with Mitchell Moses. But obviously, as I said, Cameron Ciraldo, Luke Vella – the relationship there and where the bulldogs are as a club; they’re sitting in top of the ladder. It’s a different situation to where Parramatta are. Parramatta are completely rebuilding. Perhaps he didn’t want to be part of that rebuild. Perhaps what he saw at Canterbury or heard from the club was what interested him the most.

Gould: You’re guessing.

Chammas: No, I’m not guessing.

Gould: You haven’t spoken to Lachlan Galvin, you’re guessing. You’re putting out a heap of scenarios.

Chammas: But you’ve told me you haven’t spoken to Lachlan Galvin either, so you and I are as equally educated on the situation.

Gould: Yeah, but I’m not commenting on what he’s saying.

Originally published as Phil Gould vs The Truth: Gus’ fiery on-air row with journalist exposes discrepancies in his Lachlan Galvin narrative