Watch: Jarome Luai, Sunia Turuva join Lachlan Galvin pile-on with telling social media posts

A second high-profile Wests Tigers player posted a telling Instagram story directed at Lachlan Galvin after Jarome Luai’s statement in the wake of Galvin’s axing.

At around 4.12pm on Tuesday afternoon, barely 10 minutes or so after the Wests Tigers team to face Parramatta on Easter Monday was officially unveiled sans talented teenager Lachlan Galvin, star five-eighth Jarome Luai took to social media.

In a post on his Instagram account, Luai uploaded an image accompanied by the caption: “TeamFirst.” Cue the conspiracy theories given the timing of Luai’s post, which appeared only hours after reports that several senior players had approached coach Benji Marshall on Monday night suggesting that Galvin would be better off in NSW Cup following his decision to turn his back on a lucrative contract extension from the club.

Winger Sunia Turuva then added to the drama when he posted an image on social media of Galvin’s locker at the club’s Centre of Excellence accompanied by the lyrics: “Here comes the money…..”

Luai is an influential figure these days at the Tigers. Maybe no player carries as much sway as the $6 million man, who departed Penrith at the end of last season after a fourth consecutive premiership to pursue another title at the battling Tigers.

Luai has spent much of this season playing alongside Galvin in the halves and their combination is one of the reasons that the club has seemingly turned a corner over the opening six weeks of the premiership.

Luai has taken the reins and Galvin has been left to play his natural game. On the surface, they appear the ideal partnership but behind the scenes things haven’t necessarily run as smooth.

Jarome Luai made a strong statement after Lachlan Galvin was axed.

Suni Turuva disses Lachy Galvin on Instagram.

There have been suggestions that while they have worked together fluently on a professional level, their relationship hasn’t quite gelled.

Still, the expectation was that they would join forces again when the Tigers played Parramatta on Monday afternoon at CommBank Stadium before what is expected to be a full house.

Instead, Galvin will be running around in the NSW Cup while Luai and co attempt to continue the club’s impressive start to the season. TeamFirst is believed to be one of the Tigers’ themes. It is understood it is not the first time Luai has posted those words this season.

Still, it carried extra significance given events of the past 48 hours. Galvin’s decision to turn his back on a $6 million deal has stunned Tigers supporters and put the 19-year-old in the firing line, not just for fans but apparently from some of his own teammates.

With that in mind, coach Benji Marshall made the decision to leave Galvin out of the team to face the Eels on Monday. He no doubt saved Galvin from a hot reception given the way his decision has been received by Tigers fans.

The vast majority have sided with the Tigers in what is fast becoming a civil war. They see a club on the rise and feel disappointed that one of their stars has decided it isn’t for him.

Some no doubt see a teenager who is getting ahead of himself. Others think he owes the club for giving him a chance. There was every chance they were ready to unload on Galvin on Monday.

Lachlan Galvin has been dropped from the Tigers team. Picture: NRL Photos

It’s a massive call from Benji Marshall. Picture: NRL

So Marshall has taken some of the sting out of Galvin’s decision by giving him a spell in the NSW Cup. Marshall would not confirm the players’ involvement in the decision to axe Galvin, nor would chief executive Shane Richardson, as both battened down the hatches on a tumultuous 24 hours to prepare for the Eels clash.

Wests Tigers insiders are suggesting Galvin’s relegation is neither temporary nor permanent. A potential return to the NRL side will be determined by injuries, form and his teammates forgiving him for the walkout call 18 months before his contract expires.

In the meantime, is expected to be named in the Western Suburbs Magpies side to face Parramatta at Lidcombe Oval on Monday. Utility Adam Doueihi will play alongside Jarome Luai in the halves against the Eels given Galvin’s fellow teenage half Latu Fainu suffered a fractured thumb in the Tigers’ Round 5 46-24 loss to Brisbane, an injury that usually requires a six-to-eight-week recovery.

The Tigers, on Monday, had privately vowed to resist any pressure to move Galvin after he stunned the rugby league world by revealing he would not extend his time at the club when his current contract expires at the end of the 2026 season.

Galvin still has 18 months remaining on his deal and the Tigers issued a statement on Monday declaring they would not consider an early release, but that could change.

Marshall is focused on winning games and returning the Tigers to the finals for the first time since 2011. They are currently seventh, with three wins from their opening six games and are coming off an impressive 20-4 win over the Knights in Newcastle last weekend.

Ironically, this weekend the Tigers are coming up against the last-placed Eels, one of the sides that has already been linked with his signature.

Parramatta, Canterbury, Manly and Sydney Roosters have already been spoken about as potential suitors, even though they can’t table an offer for the 19-year-old until November 1.

Galvin has time on his side. On Tuesday, having been demoted to NSW Cup, he attempted to explain his decision, stating that he made the call early to give the Tigers time to prepare for his departure.

He said that it was important he developed his game at another club. His father James backed his son and said he would do his best for the Tigers while he remained at the club.

Back to Luai though. In the pre-season, the Tigers pivot spoke glowingly about Galvin while lacing his comments with caveats about his teenage protege. Luai said he needed to keep Galvin on track at times.

He said Galvin liked to laugh and joke, but he also needed to know when to pull in his head and flick the switch. He said he was definitely there if Galvin needed a mentor.

Now might be an opportune time.

Originally published as Watch: Jarome Luai, Sunia Turuva join Lachlan Galvin pile-on with telling social media posts