Wests Tigers and Lachlan Galvin: a modern-day NRL saga for the social media age

The future of 19-year-old playmaker Lachlan Galvin may be its catalyst, but rugby league’s latest tug-of-war is a very contemporary NRL saga. It has been enriched this week by surprises, including the presence of a security guard at a local footy ground, an unusual intervention at a press conference by the Wests Tigers chief executive, a shock recall and now calls for “urgent mediation”.

But this latest episode of rugby league soap opera is different. It has spilled over into the online realm and become the latest spot fire in sport’s failing efforts to extinguish the raging blaze of social media abuse. Now, that online harm has the potential to burst forth from screens and force clubs to proactively shield players from Instagram-borne threats to their welfare.

On Tuesday, the teenage playmaker was selected in the Tigers’ side for this Sunday’s Leichhardt Oval blockbuster against Cronulla, ensuring the saga will simmer throughout the week.

It comes just a day after an intervention by Tigers boss Shane Richardson, who interrupted a press conference with coach Benji Marshall and captain Api Koroisau on Monday, an oddity even for the circus of the NRL. Following Wests’ 38-22 loss to Parramatta, a reporter asked how Koroisau was going to block out the Galvin drama.

Richardson, positioned in the corner of the press conference room at CommBank Stadium as something of a standover man, let out a loud, dismissive, exhale prompting a brief to-and-fro. The reporter persevered, eliciting the captain’s gruff response. “Get together, we’re here to play footy, we’ve just got to focus on that,” Koroisau said.

“We” is, of course, the problem. Koroisau and halfback Jarome Luai were less than warm about Galvin last week when they faced the press, as they grumbled that Galvin’s agent Isaac Moses had voiced criticism of Marshall. “He’s our coach, and at the end of the day, if you disrespect him, you disrespect us as a team,” Luai said.

On Monday, Marshall rejected the notion that the players haven’t been speaking to Galvin. “I don’t think that was a drama,” he said. Those relationships will be under the microscope this week.

View image in fullscreen Jarome Luai (right) and Tigers teammate Luke Laulilii. Photograph: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

These tensions – the taking of sides – have spilled out into the public arena, with poisonous consequences. According to his social media, what Luai stands for is “#teamfirst”, the not-so-subtle hashtag he posted when Galvin’s departure was confirmed. Another post from Tigers winger Sunia Turuva – a teammate of Luai last year at Penrith – also appeared critical of the teenager’s decision.

Galvin trained last week with the Tigers’ first grade side, but was dropped by Marshall, in consultation with senior players, to the NSW Cup for Western Suburbs’ match at Lidcombe Oval on Monday. There he avoided questions from media thanks to the presence of a security guard. But there is little the hired muscle can do to protect Galvin online.

The Tigers may not currently have a traditional media manager, but they maintain a slick social media operation. The post that announced the team for the game against the Eels included a stylised design and the tagline “one jungle, no limits”. There in Galvin’s No 6 jersey was not utility Adam Doueihi, the man brought into the halves, but Luai – the most influential voice in the locker room.

If the optics of the team list weren’t damning enough, the comments were. “Everyone’s been waiting patiently for this and boy am I happy to see that snake be dropped hopefully for the rest of the year. He should be thankful that Benji did him a favour by dropping him because who know [sic] what could happen if he was named,” one stated. The comment earned 764 likes.

Galvin’s last post on Instagram was 10 weeks ago. But the developments of the last week have driven thousands to his profile to join the pile on. “Time to turn your Instagram comments off lad. Nice too [sic] see you bit the hand that feeds ya. Go tigers,” one comment said, rewarded with 684 likes.

Co-captain of the AFL’s Brisbane Lions, Lachie Neale, criticised the online abuse professional athletes face on Friday. “It’s getting beyond a joke now, the things I’ve seen sent are some of the most horrific messages I’ve ever seen. It’s a game of football, grow the f**k up. Cowards.”

The Rugby League Players Association (RLPA) highlighted an “urgent need for robust protections and support” last year around social media use, citing a Deakin University report that surveyed 138 elite female athletes and found 87% experienced gendered online harm.

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Marshall was quick to reject allegations of bullying last week. “We’re not bullies, our players are not bullies,” he said. “They had emotional reactions to one of their teammates, but it’s not bullying, I guarantee that.”

A court matter against another NRL outfit, Canterbury, about the club’s treatment of former player Jackson Topine remains on foot. That case may not be about bullying, but it shows clubs must remain vigilant on protecting their employees.

Galvin’s lawyers issued a press release on Tuesday, saying “we have sought an urgent mediation between the parties to resolve the issues in a constructive manner,” without divulging the issues concerned.

Last week’s development was the latest incident at the Tigers to draw the attention of RLPA, following several matters during the off-season that needed intervention, as the club seeks to re-shape their roster under a new administration.

The club has been quick to challenge any criticism of its management of players. Amid reports on Monday that two fringe first graders had complained about their treatment to the club and the RLPA, Wests issued a club statement declaring “the story is simply not true”.

View image in fullscreen Tigers head coach Benji Marshall. Photograph: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

Marshall’s defence of Galvin, particularly given the current climate around social media harms – including growing recognition of online abuse under workplace laws, and radical political moves to protect children from the threats of digital platforms – takes on a growing significance. His pleas for the abuse to stop were unquestionably justified.

This week, Turuva has his Instagram account set to private. Luai posted an Instagram story after the Eels loss: “Gotta love it all, good and the not so good. It’s all part of the journey. Happy Easter.” Galvin’s account, @lachlangalvin6 – complete with the number suffix – remains dormant.

Parramatta’s No 6, Dylan Brown, one of the Eels who helped beat the Tigers on Monday, revealed afterwards how he is managing the fallout from the announcement of his big-money move to the Knights. “I’ve told a few people, you get off Instagram, you don’t see anything, so I’m doing well,” he said.

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