A couple of thoughts from me:
1) Galvin was hyped up beyond his actual ability because the Tigers are a club looking for a messiah after a decade of disaster. It was the club, fans and media that have overstated his actual ability and he would not be perceived as being this good if he was playing for another club. Look at Isiah Katoa, this kid is playing 7 and killing it, came out of the penrith system, is 20yrs old and is a beautiful game manager and player. That kid at this stage of development is better than “crabwalk” Galvin but gets 1/10th the hype.
2) no other team has to deal with the fact that the game (media, fans, administration) don’t think we deserve to be treated as a club with the respect of the big clubs. I blame the Pascoe etc era for absolutely destroying the respect that the game had for our club despite being quite a popular and competitive club in the 2000s. It’s the lack of respect that allows commentators to say “they should just let Lachie go”, “it’s untenable”, “what about Lachie’s mental health”. I dont hear any of that when the Roosters sack May over the phone whilst he’s playing in the World Cup or when Flanagan can go into a press conference and say that Ilias is the reason the Dragons lost. And to watch Jason Ryles go on TV and say how great it would be to coach Lachie (in 2027) and that he is a kid who clearly loves the eels and would be great for the eels (in 2027) it’s just a disgrace.
im past the point of wanting a trade because no trade will be perceived of being worth losing Galvin over. I am now completely in the camp that we need to find a way just to let Galvin sit out the next 2 seasons. It’s not because I particularly care about Galvin and what he’s done but I think the club finally needs to establish some boundaries in terms of how we are treated by the game. There needs to be a cost incurred for treating our club with such disrespect and I think it’s entirely reasonable to say the coach picks the team and if he doesn’t think you are the right player then you don’t play. There has been a million players who have had to deal with that, look at Hastings at the Knights, he has clearly fallen out with Obrien and they refuse to pick him even though they are desperate for a 7. We just need to do the same.
Great post.
I agree that it is time to get some respect back. Of course winning will help that but it is also about not letting others walk all over us. I would entertain a trade, but it would have to be a very good one. Better than Kai Pierce Paul put it that way.
This may read harshly but it is the thoughts of many and some who have a voice but are unable to voice it.
And, @canberratiger, I agree with much of what you wrote. My criticism of Richardson is not that he did a press release before the story broke, it was the tone of the press release that i thought was unnecessary and unhelpful in managing the situation. And, for you to suggest Aaron Woods had a thought is beyond belief.
But, that last sentence....? Who are those people you refer to?
This may read harshly but it is the thoughts of many and some who have a voice but are unable to voice it.
And, @canberratiger, I agree with much of what you wrote. My criticism of Richardson is not that he did a press release before the story broke, it was the tone of the press release that i thought was unnecessary and unhelpful in managing the situation. And, for you to suggest Aaron Woods had a thought is beyond belief.
But, that last sentence....? Who are those people you refer to?
Fair enough, mate. I thought the release was a good one. Got the point across.
Hahaha!! Sorry, by me saying that about Aaron Woods I meant what Aaron Woods parroted.
The last sentence is people both in the media and in the general public because mental health is such a complex issue. They will say that he will play the card but no further
My only issue in the way the club handled things was the social media stuff - Turuva in particular, Pole/Luai to a lesser extent. Just needed to take the air out of the situation rather than inflame things.
Thought the statement was fine, and the Thursday press conference was very good. Even Benji post game yesterday was deliberately understated when he could have flown off the handle at either the players or the officiating.
That said, the performance yesterday casts a huge shadow over the mentality at the club.
Posted by Ethan 'Bob' Kapeen on the Wests Tigers Will Never Die Facebook Group:
Here is an update from behind the scenes for our footy loving folk at Ned Ryerson.
Lachie Galvin is not the problem per se. His father is. It is quite well known - and has been for a long time- in junior league circles in particular.
I have it on very good authority, from a source I trust implicitly, Galvin’s dad is known in polite terms as a complete lunatic.
My source’s sons both played with the Galvin boys. One of them still referees with the youngest of the Galvin’s (there are 3 of them). They know them well and have seen the father in live action many times.
He is the kind of footy Dad that abuses all the junior coaches of his boys, the opposition, the officials and has frequently entered the field and dragged his kids from games. Not at half time mind you, but quite literally walks onto the field, grabs his son and takes off. To another game and/or club sometimes.
His kids have changed clubs frequently because the father reckons they are not being coached properly, nor is everything run on the field to benefit his kids. ‘The idiots coach his kids wrong’.
He has been the same for years and is an absolute nightmare for all involved.
Now, in the not too distant past, apparently Galvin’s Dad forced his way into the Tigers dressing room at half time and started a full blown rant at Benji Marshall basically yelling that he was coaching his son all wrong and basically had no idea how to coach. This was in front of the playing group, as Benji was addressing them.
The players were obviously not impressed. Nor Benji. Nor the club, and it was kept pretty much kept under wraps.
The Tigers players, while not enamoured with Lachlan Galvin himself, have a much larger issue with his father. As does the club. He is basically the quintessential footy father lunatic. Mad Eels man to boot.
The Tigers, understanding the media fall out if they were to lose the talented kid (especially having Tedesco, Moses etc) ripped away previously, brought it all to a head in the past 2 weeks.
Richardson arranged the meeting with Isaac Moses. He put the huge offer on the table knowing that Galvin senior would either accept the offer and fall into line at the club, or tell the Tigers where to go. We all know which road they chose.
In short, the Galvin’s are a cancer at the club and Richardson (being the smart old head he is) knew it had to be fixed fast. For the good of the club. The Tigers also got to save face by offering such a huge amount for such a young, under the thumb, player. Knowing pretty much he wasn’t going to be there.
Nor were they sure if they were happy to put up with the kid’s old man, and at what cost to the Tigers team as a whole?
The latest week of court threats etc are all designed to get Galvin out quickly. I think everyone can see that.
Whether Isaac Moses (not highly regarded by many - a leech on the game) planned this himself or with Galvin’s father’s hand in the middle of his back is up for debate. But it is all designed to make as much noise as possible to get his son out fast.
The Tigers know this. They realise they’ll be letting him go, but will do it at their pace. In their own way. They’ll make it difficult - just to shove it up Galvin senior’s ass - if nothing else.
They would also obviously like something (a player, monetary compensation etc) in return if they can get it. Richardson is no new age greenhorn. He has a temper too. Be interesting to see which way it goes.
To help Lachlan Galvin out, Moses & Galvin Snr have now brought in 2 other, lesser regarded team mates, to also make claims against the Tigers.
Bad move on those players parts as they are fringe first graders and quite frankly the Galvin’s & Moses don’t give a rat’s ass about them personally. They just need them as a means to getting what the Galvin’s want today.
Possibly the end of 1st grade career for those 2 boys too, if regarded as trouble makers.
Interestingly, Gould has come out this morning saying Bulldogs now have no interest in Galvin. Or his asking price I imagine. (How stuffed is the halves market now thanks to the Knights & Dylan Brown!).
Wily old man is Phil. If the kid wants to play at the Bulldogs let him come out and say it. The Dogs may just get him for $800k a year if that is the case. He wants to go there after all. Salary cap says that’s what they have for him.
Perhaps Ciraldo - very much a team dynamics man - knows that Galvin brings much more baggage than talent. I’m sure Ciraldo stays in contact with Luai, Koroisau et al pretty regularly. He at least knows them if seeking an opinion on Galvin’s situation.
In the end, the Lachlan Galvin is just a kid. He would barely know the real world.
As a Tigers fan I understand his ignorance. Won’t help him reach his potential though, being ignorant, until it is too late. Possible if his dad gets black listed by clubs.
Problem is, whoever does sign him, they will be getting some serious footy talent. That’s great.
They will also be getting the lunatic and the leech, at a massive price. That’s not great.
Worth the risk? I guess time will tell…
That’s just what the grapevine is saying fellas. True or not, it’s a decent yarn!
Wests Tigers Podcast - Talking everything Wests Tigers!
@helmesy good yarn thanks for sharing.
If Parramatta want Galvin this season then a Richo must insist on the Eels taking Tumeth and Matamua on full freight.
Absolute non-negotiable.
If Isaac is going drag these lesser names into the dispute then he should bear the consequences of that.
Tigers will also need to get a player of representative quality either from the Eels or elsewhere.
We cannot have this sad situation follow the same path as Tedesco, Woods and Mitch Moses who walked away and left us with nothing.
Out-of-favour Wests Tigers playmaker Lachlan Galvin has been recalled to first grade after a meeting with coach Benji Marshall on Tuesday.
yuck
The club can confirm that the reports published last night (21st April 2025) by The Sydney Morning Herald naming two Wests Tigers Players were not correct.
Neither player has ever made a complaint to the club or the RLPA. This was confirmed by both the players and the RLPA this morning.
The story is simply not true.
We felt it was important to clarify this, as the report has caused unnecessary stress and hurt to the players and their families.
It really says alot that Manly, Broncos, bulldogs and south's, who you could argue are in dire need, or will be in dire need of quality halves in the next year or two would so blatantly rule themselves out of any interest in Galvin. Is it the manager? Is it the player, is it the $ amount or is it the parents that have turned them off...well it can't be the manager in Manlys case so it must be a combination of the other areas. He is not worth $1m for anyone other than the Tigers, as it would have been a big win for us that a kid with great potential has put faith in the club. Maybe parra would pay that and more as a way to sooth the pain of losing Brown. All I will say is if Galvin is worth $1m Katoa at the Dolphins must be worth $1.7m.
After seeing our issues at 7 and how good Luai looked at 6 against parra, I could just imagine how potent a player like DCE would be in our team....now that's a swap I would love to see...only issue is Manly don't seem to want Galvin.
The club can confirm that the reports published last night (21st April 2025) by The Sydney Morning Herald naming two Wests Tigers Players were not correct.
Neither player has ever made a complaint to the club or the RLPA. This was confirmed by both the players and the RLPA this morning.
The story is simply not true.
We felt it was important to clarify this, as the report has caused unnecessary stress and hurt to the players and their families.
At what point does the NRL step in ???
To defend us? Never.The club can confirm that the reports published last night (21st April 2025) by The Sydney Morning Herald naming two Wests Tigers Players were not correct.
Neither player has ever made a complaint to the club or the RLPA. This was confirmed by both the players and the RLPA this morning.
The story is simply not true.
We felt it was important to clarify this, as the report has caused unnecessary stress and hurt to the players and their families.
At what point does the NRL step in ???
@tigerlily More to the point that these commentators and Journalists on a show like that 360 are an embarrassment and are fools , talk about men( that is a very shallow term in this instance). Who are these people now just making stories up to fuel an agenda driven media attack ! These people have no credibility and this also says a lot about the organisations employing them they are reporting lies .Its a sad society we now live in !
I have it on very good authority, from a source I trust implicitly....
That’s just what the grapevine is saying fellas. True or not, it’s a decent yarn!
Well. you're trusting the rest of us to accept what you're "source" is telling you?
A decent yarn on the grapevine, as opposed to genuine fact, is not what is needed right now. Your offering has as much credibility as that of the "journos" pedaling this case.
On a more positive note though, I think Marshall has been fantastic through all of this; Richardson not so much.
@snake No, those people in media have always been around. And, it's not whether those commentators and journalists think they (themselves) are fools, it's what their employer thinks (Fox Sports, Murdoch media etc). And, they couldn't give a toss about it as long as it sells or generates clicks.
What is needed is an intelligent, coherent, consistent response from WT. Marshall is doing his best. Others, sadly, are not, so far. IMO
Fox Sports has removed the page permanently regarding the two bullying claims by tumeth etc
Andrew prentice
Daily mail story is still on line
Danny Weidler and Michael Chammas story is still on line
At what point can they be pursued legally either by the club or affected players given the club reports they and their families were very upset. Obviously didn’t verify before going to print
