Tigers mates hope scrutiny can finally ease off Galvin
Jasper Bruce |
Wests Tigers teammates admit they are sad to see Lachlan Galvin leave the club but hope the exit means intense public scrutiny on the teen star will finally ease.
Galvin was omitted from the joint venture’s NRL and NSW Cup sides this weekend as he prepares to make a mid-season switch to Canterbury once a transfer fee and release can be finalised.
It means one of the NRL’s most highly-publicised break-ups could be over in a matter of days after Galvin rejected the Tigers’ rich contract extension offer in mid-April.
Since then, Galvin has been dropped twice, faced social media barbs from disgruntled fans and teammates Jarome Luai and Sunia Turuva and finally received interest from the Bulldogs and Parramatta that played out publicly in the media.
For teammates close to Galvin, the circus has been difficult to swallow.
“Just seeing such a young kid have that much media attention on him is definitely hard to take,” Tigers utility Adam Doueihi said.
“He’s just a good kid, coming into the NRL and he’s had so much hype and so much media pressure on him.
“He’s dealt with it really well. Hopefully now everyone can ease back on him now and let him play his footy.”
Tigers prop Terrell May knows something of how Galvin has been feeling, having been at the centre of a highly-publicised exit from the Sydney Roosters last year.
May has been a sounding board for Galvin amid the headlines and said his good mate had been managing the scrutiny well.
“Me and him spoke in private pretty deeply, but I’ll leave that off the camera,” May said.
“It’s obviously been a hard time for the kid. But he’s still a kid. I’ve found him to be normal.
“Obviously I’m sad (he is leaving) because me and him were pretty close. I wish him all the best. I know he’ll do a great job any team he goes to.”
Tigers forward Sione Fainu is also sad to see Galvin go.
“For sure. I wanted him at the club for a long time. He’s still young, still learning the game. But it’s his choice,” the prop said.
The Tigers signalled their intentions to move on from the Galvin saga by recalling Heath Mason to the first-grade side to start at five-eighth against North Queensland this Saturday.
Mason, 19, has never started in the halves in seven NRL games but played there going through the Tigers’ junior system.
“I’m really looking forward to it, very excited. It should be good to play in my natural position,” Mason said.
“We’re just worried about moving on and winning footy games. That’s the main goal.”
The more experienced Latu Fainu is expected to slot into the halves when he returns from a hamstring issue, possibly by next weekend.
AAP
