Was this the moment Jarome Luai became a poster boy for maturity?

That all went out the window this week when Galvin’s agent, Isaac Moses, told the club the five-eighth wanted to move on because he did not believe he could develop as a player under Marshall. The players saw that as criticism of a coach they strongly support and a deliberate attempt to discredit him. “He’s our coach, and at the end of the day, if you disrespect him, you’re disrespecting us as a team,” Luai said. “I don’t stand for that.” That he refrained from taking a shot at Galvin directly was a smart move. Luai is still earning the respect of a playing group that includes individuals like Tallyn Da Silva, who are close to Galvin. Those close to Luai say the “Team First” Instagram post was a call for unity rather than a shot at Galvin.

“I was just throwing support behind coach, behind what we stand for as a club.” Luai said. “And moving forward if anything happens like this, we’re working hard to have team first behaviours and making sure that’s built from the bottom up.” The reason the senior players felt so aggrieved was because they learned during the week that Galvin’s agent had compiled a dossier of grievances, which he then presented in a meeting with chief executive Shane Richardson. Lachie Galvin at Wests Tigers training on Thursday. Credit: Renee Nowytarger The first related to a wrestling session, from which Galvin was removed by Marshall after five minutes. Sources at the club, speaking anonymously in order to talk freely, said it was Marshall’s way of looking after his star player, a young playmaker like he once was. He said he didn’t need to get involved in the grubby stuff around the play-the-ball area. Moses, however, claimed that Marshall’s gesture had been detrimental to his client’s development, arguing he needed the additional time at the wrestling session to improve the defensive aspect of his game.

The senior players couldn’t understand why their teammate was reporting such things back to his manager, especially as it had the potential to destabilise their attempt to play finals football. The second grievance Moses took to Richardson related to an alleged comment Marshall made that offended his client. When asked about this masthead’s reports that Galvin felt overshadowed by Luai’s arrival over the summer, Luai replied: “You’re going to have ask him bro, but I know why I’m here and why I came here, and that’s to improve this team culturally and on the field. “I’m enjoying my time here. I can’t speak for everybody, but we’re doing some good things behind the scenes.”

Luai knows more than most the need for a player to do what’s best for him and his family. He walked out on his beloved Panthers after attracting a long-term deal with the Tigers worth almost half a million dollars a season more than he was earning at Penrith. “That’s rugby league, bro. Everyone has the right to seek what’s best for them,” Luai said. “I did it last year. But the thing that has disrupted us the most as a team are the things said about coach, and our team in general.” Whether those things were said directly by Galvin or via his manager, the Tigers players haven’t differentiated.

Loading The strongest moment of the press conference was when Apisai Koroisau was asked if he had spoken to Galvin since the drama erupted on Monday. “No,” was the terse reply. It speaks volumes for how angry some of the senior players are, despite everyone leaving the door open for Galvin to return to first grade this year. “If the time is right and the coach is happy with that,” Luai said. “At the end of the day, it’s his call to make the team selection. He will do what’s best for the team. If he’s in the right mindset, his heart is in the right spot and he deserves to wear the jersey, then by all means come with us.” You get the feeling it’s going to take a lot to convince them of that. Team first, and all that.

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