By Michael Chammas and Danny Weidler
The mood in the Wests Tigers dressing room has shifted against Lachlan Galvin with a third senior player taking a public stance against the want-away five-eighth.
Winger and 2025 recruit Sunia Turuva posted an Instagram story that was meant for close friends. It has since made its way into the public domain.
Turuva posted a photo of Galvin’s locker at the club’s Concord headquarters with the Shane McMahon WWE theme song Money Talks with the lyrics: “Here comes the money, money, money, money, money”.
It came just a few hours after fellow recruit Jarome Luai posted a story on Instagram with the caption “team first”.
That followed Tigers prop Fonua Pole on Monday liking a post on a Wests Tigers supporter’s Instagram page taking a shot at the five-eighth for turning his back on the club.
“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 social media offerings of teammates came either side of Galvin breaking his silence on his decision to knock back the Wests Tigers.
Also on Tuesday, Galvin was dropped by coach Benji Marshall for the Easter Monday match against Parramatta.
The 19-year-old released a statement to address his future, insisting that he was trying to be respectful to the Tigers by informing them of his intention to depart the club at the end of his deal.
Wests Tigers players turn on Lachlan Galvin
“I totally understand my decision will frustrate many Wests Tigers fans, but please know that it wasn’t an easy call to make,” Galvin said in a statement sent to this masthead.
“It’s a decision that I have discussed at length with my parents, closest friends and family. I’m extremely grateful for their love and support in making this call. The biggest reason why I made this call now is so that the Wests Tigers have enough time to plan their roster without me in the future. That’s the absolute truth of it.
“The club were eager to get a deal done, and so they called a meeting with my management last week. I could’ve mulled over this decision all season, but I didn’t think that was the right thing to do. I thought it would be best for everyone to make the call now rather than drag it out.”
Galvin was called into coach Benji Marshall’s office on Tuesday – the morning after the Herald’s revelations that the playmaker’s decision to reject the Tigers was motivated by a belief that his game wouldn’t develop to the heights he wanted under Marshall’s coaching.
Marshall had spoken with the club’s senior players – including Jarome Luai and Apisai Koroisau – and was encouraged to drop the teenager to NSW Cup.
Marshall followed through and informed Galvin of his decision on Tuesday morning. Galvin then addressed his teammates to inform them of his decision and tried to reassure them that he didn’t want to become a distraction.
Galvin’s forthcoming exit has sent the rumour mill into overdrive regarding where he will play next. In the statement he released on Tuesday, he maintained that there wasn’t a deal done at a rival club.
“Any suggestion that I already have a deal done at another club for 2027 is simply not true,” he said.
Lachie Galvin on the attack.Credit: Getty Images
“I’m extremely grateful to be able to go to work every day as an NRL footballer and the Wests Tigers have played a massive role in the opportunity I have to play this game.
“I just feel that as I move into an important period of my development as a half, that I continue to build my game at a different club. Again, I know this might be hard for some people to understand, but I make this decision in the best interests of my career.”
Koroisau and Luai have requested to front the media when the Tigers are due to undertake their press commitments on Thursday.
The pair are huge supporters of Marshall and haven’t appreciated some of the commentary that they believe is being driven by Galvin and his management.
‘I made this call now so that the Wests Tigers have enough time to plan their roster without me in the future. That’s the absolute truth of it.’
Lachlan Galvin
Galvin’s father James also addressed the situation.
“I can understand how Tigers fans feel, but as his father, I can also understand why Lachlan feels he needs a change,” he said.
“I want the best for my son and his development as an NRL player and for that I’m supportive of his decision as he’s the one who knows his game best. As a family, we’re comfortable that Lachie is backing himself as a young man. What I know is that Lachie will continue to do his best for the club for the remainder of his time there.”
Galvin will play at Lidcombe Oval on Easter Monday for Western Suburbs. The NRL team will take on Parramatta, who are expected to be boosted by the return of another Wests Tigers defector, Mitchell Moses.
The halfback was named in the team and is rated a strong chance of proving he has overcome a foot injury that has kept him on the sidelines for the first six weeks of the competition.
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