Footy star Lachlan Galvin has set the record straight on his relationship with former Wests Tigers team-mate Jarome Luai and former coach Benji Marshall in his first interview as a Canterbury Bulldogs player.
The 19-year-old prodigy officially jumped ship to join the Bulldogs finally confirming one of the worst-kept secrets in the NRL that he was verging on an exit from the footy club.
In what is a major coup for the Bulldogs, the five-eighth has penned a three-year deal with Cameron Ciraldo’s side, immediately terminating his deal with the Tigers.
While he has been pictured training with the Doggies in recent days, Galvin had not, until today, spoken out on the move and answered some of the burning questions, including, why he chose to leave? Were rumours of a fractured relationship between him and halves partner Luai correct? And why he didn’t want to continue under the leadership of Marshall?
Questions have been raised this season that he and Luai had not always been on the best of terms. The former Penrith half-back appeared to aim a dig at Galvin earlier this season with a cryptic social media post after the contract saga bubbled its way into the spotlight.
While Luai also threw his support behind senior coach, Marshall, he had also stated that the team needed Galvin, but added: ‘We don’t have to all be best mates.’
Lachlan Galvin has opened up on his decision to leave the Wests Tigers and sign for the Canterbury Bulldogs
The footy star and his new club announced the move last week and he has since been pictured training with his new team
Galvin (right) snubbed any suggestion that he and Jarome Luai (left) had fallen out despite concerns arising of a fractured relaitonship between the halves partners
Galvin has snubbed any idea that there was any animosity between him and the four-time premiership winner had fallen out.
‘Jarome [and I] got on fine. We probably weren’t going over each other’s houses, having sleepovers and that,’ the five-eighth said in an interview with Channel Nine.
‘People like to think that we never got on, but behind the scenes, we were always talking and never got to a point where we hated or never spoke to each other.
‘I never walked into Concord once thinking “stuff him, he’s come in here and taken the reins”.’
Equally, concerns had mounted over Galvin’s relationship with Marshall, after reports from The Sydney Morning Heraldclaimed he didn’t buy into his former coach’s ethos.
Again, the 19-year-old told his side of the story, thanking Marshall for believing in him and giving him the opportunity to play first-grade footy.
‘Benji was great to me, I’m so grateful for Benji giving me my debut,’ Galvin said.
‘It wasn’t coaching, it was more just developing, and that was all on me. I wanted a change, and I just felt a change would get me out of my comfort zone.’
The 19-year-old also stated that he was grateful to Benji Marshall (pictured) for giving him an opportunity
The footy star says he is now excited to work under the leadership of Ciraldo but says he understands why Tigers fans may be disappointed in his move
The footy star says he is now excited to work under the leadership of Ciraldo, adding that part of his decision to move was because he wanted to push himself out of his comfort zone.
And he gets why Tigers fans may be disappointed at his decision to leave the club, stating that he wasn’t phased by criticism.
‘I understand where [Tigers fans] are coming from. I think they can have their opinion, and they can have their hatred and that against me. I understand that,’ he added.
‘The main thing is I never wanted to disrespect the club, I never wanted to hurt the club. I was doing this for my best interests and I hope [for] success for the whole club.
‘This whole thing was my decision. I had told Isaac what I wanted, and he says ‘yes’. I’ve run this thing, I’ve backed myself, and I’m a pretty confident kid in that way.
‘I’ve chosen what I’ve wanted, and obviously, we’ve got all this backlash from it, and I’ll take that on the chin because it’s something I’ve driven.’