Galvin Should Spend Two Years in Reserve Grade – And He Should Be Joined by His Loudmouth Teammates: Lachlan Galvin has done the Tigers dirty and deserves to be in reserve grade.
He may just be a pawn in Isaac Moses’ ongoing war with the Wests Tigers and Benji Marshall but he is a grown man and a professional footballer and Moses works for him.
So comments being leaked about Marshall’s coaching acumen, claims of bullying and a refusal to look at a $5.5 million contract extension are on him.
Moses may be pulling the strings and Galvin may just be 19 but if he has the hutzpah to be demanding he run his own team then he is old enough to take responsibility for his own actions and those of his representatives.
It is clear that his goal is to force his way out.
That is fine, it is low, it is grubby and it lacks moral fortitude but he is a client of Isaac Moses so such tactics are not unexpected.
Claims of bullying will only serve to hurt his reputation and devalue his services while his attack on the coach forced Marshall’s hand in dropping him to reserve grade.
If that is the game he chooses to play though, he had best be prepared to accept the consequences and those consequences should be playing two years of reserve grade.
If he was on big money, it would be in the Tigers’ interests to move him on.
On his current deal, they are far better served making him play two seasons of reserve grade as a clear marker that the Tigers will not be treated like dogs.
Chris Anderson, one of the greatest culture coaches the game has known, dropped Darren Smith in 1994 when he signed with the Broncos and did the same to Jarrod McCracken in 1995.
The Tigers should not release Galvin to star with someone else.
They should force him to play reserve grade – and probably from the bench – for two seasons.
While Galvin has certainly showed no class throughout the entire incident – and he is now so off with his coach and his teammates that there is no turning it around.
The behaviour of two so-called Tigers leaders who less than 12 months ago left their team for big money contracts was abhorrent and reflects incredibly poorly on both players and the club.
Jarome Luai and Sunia Turuva posting on social media slamming Galvin for chasing money and not putting the team first is laughably hypocritical after both left premiers Penrith to join the three-time wooden spooners the Tigers.
If two players should not be commenting on loyalty, it is those two.
And then to follow it up with the embarrassing performances both showed on Monday should see both dumped.
Luai was laughable with his “attempted tackle” on Kelma Tuilagi something an underpaid 19yo would get slammed for let alone the highest paid player and supposed leader of the club.
Turuva losing the plot getting sin binned was humiliating.
Benji has a problem on his hands and it is not what to do with Galvin but what to do with the two hypocritical big money loudmouths who are severely underperforming and destabilising a club that absolutely does not need it.
Please Rehire Kevin Walters: This column was one of the biggest advocates in driving Brisbane to sack Kevin Walters.
His tenure at the Broncos was diabolical with the club severely underachieving and the decision by the Broncos was the right one.
Having said all that, I would like to unreservedly apologise to the Australian Rugby League public for the horrors such a decision has bestowed on us all.
Walters now seems to be getting the Blocker treatment at Fox NRL, getting three games on the trot while offering not a note of serious analysis.
So let this column take the opportunity to push Walters for another head coaching job – for the sake of all our sanity.
Australian Politics’ Finest Rugby League Men: Australian politics has had some great Rugby League men. Here are its five finest:
- Anthony Albanese – Diehard Souths man who treats the GGOA like a religion.
- Doc Evatt – Longtime Labor leader who was a longtime promoter of the game through the University club.
- John Fahey – Former Bulldogs reserve grader who became NSW Premier and Australia’s Finance Minister.
- Fred Daly – Labor stalwart who was a dedicate patron of oth the Newtown Jets and the Canberra Raiders.
- Bob Hawke – Born into AFL territory, Hawke came to love Rugby League, becoming a passionate Raiders man.
Moron Play of the Week: It does not matter how strong the wind was, Reece Walsh kicking it anywhere that the ball could go out on the full was about as dumb a rugby league play as you could ever hope to see.
Willie M Team of the Week – Round 7: This week’s team who should be very worried about Team List Tuesday:
1.Reece Walsh (Bri)
2.Sunia Turuva (Tig)
3.Jack Wighton (Sou)
4.Dane Gagai (New)
5.Ed Kosi (NZ)
6.Jarome Luai (Tig)
7.Tom Weaver (GC)
8.Sean Keppie (Sou)
9.Billy Walters (Bri)
10.Reagan Campbell-Gillard (GC)
11.Jordan Riki (Bri)
12.Eliesa Katoa (Mel)
13.Salesi Foketi (Roo)
————————————-
14.Jack Bird (Tig)
15.Alec MacDonald (Mel)
16.Spencer Leniu (Roo)
17.Jayden Brailey (New)
————————————–
Coach: Adam O’Brien (New)
2025 Field Goal Update – 4: It has been a tough year for field goals with another field goal-less weekend bestowing punters in Round 7.
Fun Fact #1: Legendary French fullback Puig Aubert regularly smoked during games including puffing on spectators cigarettes when the ball was at the opposite end of the field. Such was his smoking he was known as “Little Pipette” – Little Chimney.
Fun Fact #2: Aubert knocked back offers from Sydney clubs after the famous 1951 tour because his favourite drink pastis was not available in Australia at the time.
Fun Fact #3: The iconic Aubert was actually born in Germany – hardly a traditional Rugby League power.
Rumour Mill: Speculation is mounting that Kalyn Ponga is set to turn his back on Rugby League and shift to New Zealand in an attempt to play for the All Blacks. Lachlan Galvin will almost certainly be at Parramatta in 2027 – and potentially earlier. Graham Anneseley has started calling podcast hosts in an effort to stop talk of officials’ contracts.
Moronic Coaching Decision of the Week: Jack Bird has absolutely no business in first grade. He is not only a below average player but is a constant disruption. His business throwing away headgear only to see a try scored under his nose summed up his last five seasons in one play. Benji Marshall needs leaders on the field. Bird is not that.
The Coaching Crosshairs: Pressure is again mounting on Newcastle coach Adam O’Brien.
No coach has escaped the noose more often than O’Brien, who has somehow managed to orchestrate long winning runs when he seemed a deadman walking.
Combined with Newcastle’s reluctance to bin a coach, O’Brien has remarkably survived into a sixth season and made four finals campaigns despite a losing record and a reputation as a bang-average mentor.
O’Brien is signed until the end of 2027 and was key in bringing Dylan Brown to the club but the side has no identity, misuses its attacking weapons and struggles in key effort areas.
The man to watch closely is Willie Peters though Justin Holbrook and Brad Arthur will both come into consideration.
Watch It: More often than not when politicians try their hand at sport, it ends in calamity.
John Howard attempting to send down a leggie, Bob Hawke getting his glasses smashed attempting a hook shot, Boris Johnston bowling over a six-year-old, Peter Dutton, a Queenslander, choosing a Sherrin over a Steeden like a complete moron.
However current PM Anthony Albanese is the exception.
His passing game on The Footy Show was exceptional. Watch him in action here.