Today’s team announcement for the Easter Monday clash with the Eels would have to be one of the most anticipated by Wests Tigers fans.
And of course every man and his dog in the Tigers camp knows the name of such “excitement”: Lachlan Galvin, who has now been sensationally dropped from first grade.
Galvin has been named at 6 for Western Suburbs Magpies in the NSW Cup – essentially the reserve side – against the Parramatta Eels at Lidcombe Oval at 12 noon on Easter Monday.
Time will tell if the Campbelltown junior has played his last game for the NRL side. For me, I feel for the fans.
After a fantastic 20-4 win over the Knights in Newcastle on Sunday the fans basked in the happy knowledge that something good is brewing in 2025.
But their happy thoughts were hit for six just the next morning when news filtered out what many of them had been dreading for 12 months or more: Lachie was not staying in Tiger town.
And even though he’s contracted to the end of 2026, he’s almost certain to be packing his bags a lot earlier than that, because that’s the NRL in 2025.
But let’s recap what has taken place over a dramatic few days.
The weirdest thing happened at a meeting late last week between club heavies such as Shane Richardson and the player’s agent, Isaac Moses.
It is asserted that the agent stunned the club hierarchy when he told them he did not even want to review a massive offer of close to $6 million they were going to table to keep Galvin a Tiger for another five years.
It has been reported elsewhere that “don’t bother with the offer, Lachlan is leaving the Tigers’’ or words to that effect were uttered by the player’s agent.
The report caused a storm on social media, dividing the fans, of whom were disappointed the news had wrecked the little bit of happiness their team had given them this season after years of wooden spoon misery.
Now some people reckon the club’s response in issuing the media release, which we publish here in full below, was a tactical mistake that could lead to the early departure of Galvin from the club.
Here is the media statement from Wests Tigers:
“We would like to announce that Lachlan Galvin will not be with the club beyond the 2026 season. Despite the club having the largest contract offer for a junior in the history of the club on the table, Lachlan and his management have decided his future lies elsewhere and were not willing to review the offer. It should be noted that the club has NO intention of releasing Lachlan from his contract, and he has not requested this. Obviously, there will be a lot of speculation around this release, but we will make no further comment. The club is focused on winning as many games as possible during Lachlan’s tenure and beyond. The club is disappointed, but we move on.’’
I am not sure about moving on. There’s a huge element of wishful thinking from the club in saying that, because it is highly likely this drama could derail the entire season for Benji’s team.
Dropping Galvin could turn out to be a genius move – or a really dumb one.
Only time will tell, but here’s another nightmare scenario: Galvin refuses to play in reserves.
TEAM LIST:
1. Jahream Bula
2. Sunia Turuva
3. Brent Naden
4. Starford To’a
5. Luke Laulilii
6. Jarome Luai (c)
7. Adam Doueihi
8. Terrell May
9. Api Koroisau (c)
10. Fonua Pole
11. Samuela Fainu
12. Alex Seyfarth
13. Alex Twal
Interchange:
14. Tallyn Da Silva
15. Royce Hunt
16. Jack Bird
17. Sione Fainu
Reserves:
18. Tony Sukkar
19. Heath Mason
20. Kit Laulilii
21. Solomona Faataape
22. Tristan Hope
