Premiership-winning Wests Tigers forward Bryce Gibbs has claimed “no player in the comp is going to want to play with” Lachie Galvin in the wake of his management serving the club with a legal letter allegedly accusing them of bullying him.
Gibbs took to X after news broke about Galvin’s management team threatening legal action following co-captain Jarome Luai, Fonua Pole and Sunia Turuva criticising the young five-eighth on social media.
Galvin has been dropped to NSW Cup on Easter Monday and coach Benji Marshall has denied any suggestion that the teenage prodigy has been bullied by teammates.
“How embarrassing from the management team,” Gibbs wrote on X on Sunday night.
“No player in the comp is going to want to play with him now.
“I can bet any money on some press release coming out tomorrow before the game.
“They will do anything to undermine the Tigers tomorrow … Tigers team is too solid.”
Marshall said on Sunday ahead of Easter Monday’s clash with Parramatta that Galvin still had a chance to win his way back into the Tigers’ NRL side before moving on at the expiry of his contract at the end of 2026.
Galvin turned down a $5 million extension offer last week and will play for Western Suburbs at Lidcombe Oval on Monday instead of facing Parramatta in the NRL at CommBank Stadium.
The Eels coincidentally could be where Galvin lands, with Parra coach Ryles expressing an interest in acquiring the No.6, who came through the club’s junior system.
“Our five-eighth has left, so we’re in the market for a five-eighth,” Ryles said.
Galvin’s place in the Tigers’ halves has been taken by Adam Doueihi, who will celebrate his 100th NRL match after suffering three separate anterior cruciate ligament injuries.
“Going through that (knee reconstruction) process all over again, how hard it is, and if you’re even going to come back at the same level, is very tough,” Marshall said.
“I said it in our jersey presentation, this 100 is like 300 (games), it’s that big of a deal.
“It’s a great milestone for Adam … if it was up to him he’d prefer to play in halves, but we’ve had him at centre (until this week).
“The good thing for us is he’s a good talker, an organiser and can kick the footy well.
“He loves the chance to play there and we are looking forward to what he brings.”
Stone a rock in the middle for Phins
The “unsmiling assassin”, Dolphins forward Ray Stone, is one of a kind.
In 2023 Stone was coming back from a broken hand and was seen by a club official gazing at it. He was asked if everything was OK.
“Yes,” he replied. “I just want to get out there and fold blokes.”
He did that against the Storm, with 24 tackles and none missed. Throw in his 134m and two tries and it was a Stone classic. For one of his tries he was in position for a pass from star fullback Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, the “Hammer”, after he caught a bomb. It was a real effort play.
Effervescent Dolphins prop Josh Kerr, the complete opposite of Stone, had his tongue in cheek when asked about his teammate.
“The axe murderer? He’s a dead-set psychopath,” Kerr grinned.
“I don’t think he feels tiredness or weakness or anything in his body.
“He’s just that guy you want to play with. He does all things.
“He chased that kick with Hammer. He doesn’t need to be there, but he was the one. You’d think Herbie (Farnworth) or somebody fast, an outside back, would be there. That’s why he’s the guy you want to play with week in, week out, you know what I mean?”
So does Stone ever smile?
“He does, mate. Get a few beers into him and he’ll smile pretty well,” Kerr chuckled.
“He’s an absolute legend, he’s one of those blokes you love having around.”
After the match Stone found a beer and polished it off quickly. A second followed after his teammates said he should celebrate his two tries.
With a beer in hand, he told AAP that smiling after tries was not on his to-do list.
“I don’t play to score tries,” Stone sad.
“I celebrate at the end of the game once we’ve won. Scoring tries doesn’t bother me too much, so long as we win.
“As long as the boys know I am going to turn up for them and do my best every week, that’s all I can do.”
Stone also played down the speed he showed to finish both of his tries. “I don’t get into sprints,” he shrugged. “I was nearly tripping over for one of them. I just want to do my job.
“The way we played as a team is why we won. I don’t think it was off the back of anything I did.”
with AAP
