‘Don’t have to be mates’: Luai sheds light on Galvin relationship
Wests Tigers skipper Jarome Luai has spoken out about the ongoing relationship between he and wantaway teammate Lachlan Galvin.
NRL
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Jarome Luai says he and halves partner Lachlan Galvin “don’t have to be mates” going forward with the young playmaker set to walk out on the club at the end of 2025.
The Tigers have won two straight since Galvin returned to the line up, including a 34-28 win over the Dragons in Magic Round.
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After news broke a few weeks ago that Galvin wouldn’t consider signing a big money extension with the Tigers in order to test the market, he was dropped to reserve grade by coach Benji Marshall.
While it’s been a tumultuous week for the club and player, which has included a pending lawsuit from Galvin against the club, things are working on the field, with the Tigers sitting in eighth on the ladder.
Luai says the Tigers are a much better team with Galvin in the line up, but based on comments after the win over the Dragons, it’s clear the two aren’t close.
“With him in the team, it makes the team better,” Luai told the SMH.
“We need him to be at his best. We want him to be at his best because he brings a lot to this team.
“This is business. We have a job to do out there. For our team to be at our best, he needs to be part of this team. Whatever has happened in the past has happened. Now we’re looking to bigger and better things.
“We’re not going to get results if we don’t have connection as a team. We don’t have to all be best mates, but we need to have a connection.”
Luai was one of two Tigers’ players to take digs at Galvin on social media when the young five-eighth declined the club’s extension.
The former Panther admits there was plenty of emotion involved when he made the post, but thought it was “the right thing to do”.
“We’re all grown men here and we have a job to do. I’ve obviously stuffed up in the past and said things that people don’t agree with, but I’m always going to back myself at the end of the day,” Luai said.
“It’s water under a bridge … We move on. We enjoy playing the game.”
Originally published as ‘Don’t have to be mates’: Luai sheds light on Galvin relationship
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