NRL News: ‘No one is going to want to play with him’
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.”
Selwyn switching to the back
Winger Selwyn Cobbo has emerged as the man most likely to replace injured Reece Walsh at fullback for Brisbane, but the fraught positional switch is not the only spine issue for the side.
Top-of-the-table Canterbury are on their way to Suncorp Stadium on Thursday night, when the Broncos will be without Walsh after he injured his right posterior cruciate ligament in the 20-18 golden-point loss to the Warriors.
His four- to six-week absence will give the 22-year-old a break from the game both physically and mentally, and rule him out of Queensland calculations for the State of Origin series opener.
Broncos coach Michael Maguire has few options at No.1. During the Warriors match he moved Cobbo to fullback, and Walsh was on the wing to rest his injured knee.
The Broncos have only one field session, Wednesday’s captain’s run, to trial any new combination ahead of the Bulldogs clash.
Cobbo has only started at fullback in two NRL matches. The Broncos won both. The first occasion was a 13-12 win over Penrith in round one in 2023. The second was also a 13-12 victory, against Manly at Suncorp Stadium last year.
He has moved back to fullback during games in the past, but for the 2023 and 2024 seasons the Broncos had natural custodian Tristan Sailor to call on.
Fellow Broncos winger Jesse Arthars did start at No.1 for the Maori All Stars this year and had a blinder, but he has never started an NRL match at fullback. He has done so at NSW Cup and Queensland Cup level.
Cobbo, who weighs 102kg and stands at 190cm, brings strong carries from the back-field and he also possesses remarkable athleticism.
(Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
He does not have the aerobic capacity of the great NRL fullbacks such as James Tedesco, Dylan Edwards or Ryan Papenhuyzen.
The most effective player on the field in the backline on either side in Auckland on Saturday night was also the smallest in 178cm and 83kg Warriors No.1 fullback Taine Tuaupiki, who made 164m and six tackle breaks from 23 runs.
Tuaupiki is in the mould of New Zealand fullback Keano Kini, another great example of the diminutive fullbacks dominating the game.
You can be sure the Bulldogs halves will challenge Cobbo with grubbers that test his positional sense and ability to get down on the ball quickly.
Cobbo does have wonderful hands, but Toby Sexton and Matt Burton will ensure he has a tough night. Organising the defensive line will also pose a challenge for Cobbo.
Maguire said after the loss to the Warriors that he was still making up his mind about what the best make-up of his spine looks like.
The match finished with Billy Walters at No.6 and Ben Hunt at hooker, where he plays for Queensland. Hunt is expected to spend more time there in the months ahead
From round 10 the suspended Ezra Mam will be available to slot back into his favoured No.6 position. Legendary half Andrew Johns said on Channel Nine on Sunday that Mam should replace Hunt and partner Adam Reynolds.
“They are very similar players in a way, Reynolds and Hunt,” Johns said.
“You need a run threat. There is no run threat (at the moment). (Mam) will add a lot to the team when he comes back.”
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
