NRL 360 - 'Guess who's back!': Galvin returns but questions swirl as to his relationship with the club - 22/04/25

Welcome to three sixty league from every angle joining me in the great Gordon Tallas. Let's bring the general Australian, Poor Crawley and Dean Ritchie and guess who's back? Galvin recalled and set for an intense reception at Leichhardobal Gordy back into the team.

Yes, smart decision obviously last week with all the emotions around, put Hingm back just to stay away from a bit of noise. But he's back in and hopefully he does well and in front of his home fans, I think, which is a little bit better.

It's a circus though we went through all this pain last week. We had consultations between the coach and the senior players. They made the hard call to get him out of the side because he wasn't buying into the club culture and this one club approach which they keep thrusting upon us. And five six days later they've now gone back to where we were in the first place.

So what was all the pain for?

Darted off on a bad foot dog because I don't agree with what you said. I think last week they had no choice. But what's changed, Well, a lot of things have changed.

Mate.

Last week there was all the emotion, there was the media intensity and the microscope the players who were obviously upset. Galvin probably wasn't in the best headspace to be picked. I think this week it comes down to the fact, do the Digers want to play semi final football this year? Do they want to win games? If they do, Lachlan Galvin is in their state.

How to train and work this week? Then, given the circumstances, like how do you as a head coach or even as a teammate, like, how does it work? I'll come to you as an ex player and we sort of spoke about it last night. How does it work? I mean, how can it get through the week and prepare for this properly?

I never liked all my teammates. I didn't have to love them, but you've got to respect them and trust them. And I think that'll be the job for Benji Marshall this week. And I'm sure the senior players should walk over and it's a reception. I think it's the senior player's job to walk over to the young kid and put their arm around him.

God, you didn't like some of your teammates, but they didn't go on social media. You didn't have it back then, mind you, and have diggers at him, And they didn't go to the coach behind your back and say we don't want you in the site.

So it's a totally different scenario to what you went through.

And I just can't work out how this bloke can possibly be in the team when his teammates have been so.

Publicly and vehemently against him playing.

I think when I looked at what Jerome Lewis posted last week, team first, to me, I didn't see that as bullying.

I saw that as as Alvin.

I saw it personally as a mark of respect for his coach.

He was standing up for his coach.

He'd been criticized and he said, if you disrespect our coach, you disrespect us. In that instant, I really believed what Leui did wasn't bullying. It was standing up for his coach. But now, as the team leader, he has to pull these blokes together and if he truly believes and I wrote him a column today, if he truly believes in team first culture, well then that's about bringing this bloke back into the team and finding a way to win

Question for you because I was in the forwards. I just had one job to do. You got to run the team and bark them around.

Yeah, it's a big job for jerom. I just can't imagine it. I cannot imagine it, I said last night. I know a lot of people were like yourself, Crawls and some highly respect to people said, you've got to play your best team. You've got to get him back in you want to make the finals. But the most successful teams are the ones that get along the best and have the best culture and camaraderie and love each other, like you don't win premierships not liking the boat next

Do you think that he'd be back in the team if the legal and it wasn't? Said?

Well was it lid com obile yet that new?

So?

Well, it's cup game and he had a modest performance at best. He defended on the left wing, a couple of kicks here and there.

His side were well beaten.

To be fair, I was actually yes, that's why no one got through it.

I couldn't see the face in the air, that's why in disguise.

But he wasn't brought back based on this game, so it wasn't through merit or form.

So why was he brought back? Is it due to these legal implications? He has been in good form throughout the year, though he has And because when.

He said it yesterday, Broth, I watched the show last night and you said last night would the Tigers? Would it have been a different result if Galvin had played? And I guess that's the question that you asked. Could it have been a different result that was good?

Watching that form, you'd say no.

Because the week Look what it's done to day Cherry Evans he had thirty seven's And.

That's a question mark too, Gordy. Look, no one knows the true answer. And I'll tell you what I also find interesting when they play on Sunday is watching the interaction twin the players, Like you know, you see all the players if someone does something good and they all come diving over the top of each other.

I remember years the things that the players will be worried about.

But will the players remember when Cherry Evans was going through his dramas at Manly and that, and he was playing with the Stewart Boys and whatmo on that, And there were moments on the field where you could dead set see the tension between them, especially when DC might have done something good. And I'll be interested to see what the reaction is on the weekend.

I think they like going back to the game and the reason why they lost. I think they would have been better off playing Loui at seven, you know, and control on the whole game and kicking the majority of the kicks. I think, you know, do we just I don't see him as a seven at all, a six at best. I see more as a center, and I think that cost him a couple of his short kicks

He's been lippy all year, But come on, Mike, he did. He's on the fielding lip and he has that.

Immy, this went one step too far and the emotion did get the better of him.

I see what you're saying, I really do.

And and the camaraderie, but amongst the great teams, you know, that's what makes them very special. But I do think in this instance, like I think the Tigers fans have been through so much in recent years that if anyone can pull him together, it has to be Jerome and a happy because Benji, like they backed the coach last week, and if the coaches made a call this week to bring him back in the side, surely you've got to back the cake, do you.

So? With this legal stench in the air, what about it training?

What about if there's a g up?

What about if they have a dig at Galvin for dropping a ball?

Any little side issue that the players say is that now going to end up as evidence?

Is that over the top. Is it possible and will they be told?

No matter what.

Happens, to keep your mouth.

You couldn't even talk with the pres com. There you go, it could. As I've said the last couple of weeks, his management has been agitating for an early release. Well, I believe I think most people. If you put two and two together, then that's what it seems to be. What's going to happen next? Will the Tigers stay strong here or will he get his release?

I think I think the Tigers. I think most people in rugby league are hoping the Tigers do stay strong.

Look, we are only surmising.

We talk people from other clubs and they want to They want to see the Tigers stand their digs on this. They want to see its true, and I truly they do. We don't know, like we hear secondhand information. No one truly knows other than the agent and the officials at the Club's.

Going on the Tigers today, that they're going to do their hills in.

And if they've got if they've done nothing wrong, if these claims are bullying, like you have to look at the definition of bullying.

The definition of bullying.

Is repeated intimidation or using tactics to bring someone down and cause distress is what we saw last week.

That's not the definition of bullying. There's a one off incidence. So it has this been going on.

For some You don't like a post, that doesn't mean that it's bulliing.

It's not bullying.

Because you don't like.

Someone's actions, It doesn't mean it's bullying. But I hope, I hope, and I've been strong on this. I have that every club and the game, like I have the NRL stand behind the Tigers here, well.

The Tigers the Tigers.

If the Tigers, the Tigers are to their fans too Gordy like, if they have done nothing wrong, then they have to see this through. And if there's going to be a court case, which I don't believe we'll get there, but if there's going to be, they have to stick by him. If they've got this kid for three hundred thousand dollars for the rest of this year and the rest of next day, you keep him.

Absolutely the fans want ing there.

That's a good question because I don't know.

Again they're on socials with mice just through contact to me through the Tigers fans is what. They don't want him there.

I'll tell you what. If he goes out and plays really good this week they were wanting there. If he plays no.

Good, that's judge jury and execution or winning.

We all want him to stay there and play well and.

Want Look, he's got a contract, and I'm all for a contract. We should always honor contracts. It's one thing we don't do well in rugby league. But if he doesn't want to be there, the players don't want him there, he's suing the club for goodness sake.

What is the point of keeping him there? What is the benefit?

Like, how do you know the players don't want him there?

God, they got rid of him last week. They consultation, they said, we don't want him in our side.

I think this week will tell us kind of where he's at and where the team's at. Like, if he responds well this weekend, goes out there and plays really well, they get a win and you can see that they've kind of mended a little bit, then I'm willing to lean on the way of definitely keeping him. You know, because you watch that game on Monday that they could have won, still winded you, but you watch it and you see how frustrated the players were, You see how

Like, which would they be a more harmonious club without all the media scrutiny and all these headlines which will be flushing up here right now if he left the club?

Answer is yes, we might take that away.

And this club's been a punching bag. They've been at the bottom. And if you don't stand for anything, you'll never stand for any.

But let me tea you something.

The media and the speculation, and you know, because if he leaves, it doesn't go away, the media, the headlines don't go away. It'll be then life after. There will be pressure on Benji. If they're not performing, it'll be who they're going to buy next. How do they feel the void like this ain't and they've got three wooden spoons in a row like this. They're used their headlines, but the headlines aren't going anywhere.

And that's the other thing in this when we talk about Benji bringing Galvin back, because his career rides on this too, Like he's he's been dragged down in the gutter in recent days, the allegations and the claims against him as you know, not being a good coach for this young guy, like that's a real attack on his credibility.

I feel free a really good.

Job the teams.

The team's been playing well, but you know what if it all fall apart?

Now break through one hundred percent, right, that becomes the next storyline, the only the coaches can So why would you even on the weekend on Monday when when they lost to Paramatta, And are you saying that you're then going to give Paramata a gun player to make them a better team and make your club worse. If you work at an employment place, you don't want to be there, your colleagues don't want you to be there, but yet other people are saying you should stay.

You'd be saying screw that.

I don't want to be if it's better for everybody, if.

I move along, I think if the Tigers were in a position of power and they are a successful, strong club.

You probably maybe consider that they should get I agree with. If you want to stand for something, stand for something, mates, stick to this.

What is it?

Eight players or whatever? Teddy all those guys, it's going to keep on happening. When are the Tigers going to stand up for their fans?

You know what they get in a return of three and a thousand dollars play?

Yeah?

No, and they've got one now that's probably worth I think the money was too much. I think he's a six hundred third all of player and the only one that can turn it around, in my opinion, is Lucky Galvinavigo's out there kickcase. If he rips in the team will go with him.

It's a fascinating one. Watched his space. It's not going anywhere anytime soon. Now the Bulldogs are no longer in the race. Does this mean that the paramatter ills are a dollar one?

That's certainly the mail through rugby league.

I think you'll find a few clubs have already come forth, brother, as you say saying we don't want him manly the Bulldogs.

I'm never quite sure with Gus. You know, he's the master manipulator. He has said, well publicly, why have they pulled out?

I don't like this to happen to them.

Possibly or they don't feel he would be a fit at their club positionally, But I'm never quite sure with Gus.

But certainly paramatter is the club.

Jason Rowls has gone on the record yet again on Fox League yesterday.

So we want I said last night the Dogs were interested in because I've heard that they were, and even after the show last night, I had a few interesting texts saying that they definitely were interested from very good sources. They were interested. But I hate to say it, but the reason they didn't was because of the situation and the management that was that was what I heard.

So are you're suggesting that the Bulldogs don't want to deal with Isaac Moses?

Well, they read between the lines Bulldog. Yeah, that's pretty much what I just said. I don't like Again, it's not me targeting him and his management, but that's what I heard, and that's from good sources.

Within that, there's also the stain now and you can't deny this. There is a stain on Lachland Galvin's reputation as a result of this. You would imagine we well, we talk about his own teammate. Is it more on Isaac Moses but Doggie, we talk about his own teammates, the kids wanting to play with him. If he goes across to the Dogs and you've got guys like Stephen Crichton and Matt Burton and that who would have been mates with Leuyan and Tuva at.

Penrif does that go with him?

You know?

Does that?

Does that go with and I reckon it? Does it goes with Lachland Galvin for some time? What's happening?

Does his manager have to walk around with a security guard? But he put the young kid in a situation where he's going to play rugby league and he needed a security guard. The last young kid I've witnessed in my short time in the media to have a fall out with the senior players, as Jackson Hastings, the last guy that's got there a bit more of an ego thought the Roosters. He's fallen out of all of his clubs and where is he now? I hope this doesn't smell

Fair point, fair point. Right, Let's get to the rest of the sports Bet team selections for Round eight and cobbos which is the fullback for Wall shout with that knee injury for the Broncos kright in the beginn for the Roosters from that growing injury, Young is dropped for that Anzac Day game against the Dragons. Mitchell moves to full back and Gray to the bench for the Bunny's Chaboievich much anticipated return for the mainly see this boy,

I said in McCollum, I think this has Bennett's biggest decision since he returned to South because Ji Gray has been their best player all year, but Latrell is their best player. And I think if you watched Latrell on the weekend and last week as well, and even in his first game back against the Roosters, he hasn't been crash off. He come up with a couple of flukey plays against the Roosters. He was average last week and

I tell you his best position.

He's going to get interested if he's back there. You want to put on a good pair of joggers, He's going to do some kilometers.

Yeah, you know what, Gordy, We've been talking about his fitness all year and he hasn't show on the weekend. At the start of that game, early on, he was coming out of his own end and he threw a ridiculous silly off flow that led to the ball an early try to the Bulldogs. And from that moment on, Mate, it just changed the game and he was you know, he got moved from five to eight out to center quite and owned him.

Like in previous years, that was a.

Challenge that would have lifted Latrell going up against a heavyweight opponent, but in this game, it was like he didn't want to be a part of it.

I think Wayne made the core.

When Latrell returned from injury, he's our best fullback, and when we get players back from injury and all that sort of stuff, we're going to put him back there. I think after what we saw on the weekend, he had to do it.

He was always going to be the long term fullback.

Wayne has said that multiple times over his stint at South. Look, look, I didn't have a problem with throwing at six. It's a free throw at the stumps. Latrell complaining position. Has it worked probably not? Was it worth a crack? Absolutely?

I didn't a problems. They had to reenforced, but I thought it's worth having a crack.

Well, he needs he just needs to stand up this week because to be selected over Gray, you know the way that he's playing, and to take that asset. You know that the the house have had all year that the guy who's been there best consistently by a long way, by a long way to move him back to the bench. She was leading the daily ams and he just got picked this week. It's he needs. He just needs to stand up and deliver.

He needs Stage two, hasn't he taking on a wounded storm in Melbourne? Who the Bunnies I'm not sure exactly what the record is, but they have a shocking record against down there.

It's a danger game for the Bunnies because Bennett looks to the fire history with a rare win over Bellamy and look at this forty two games overall, thirty two losses at a win rate of twenty three point eight percent in Melbourne. It gets worse only nineteen percent win rate for Ben and over Bellamy. And it gets even worse when we go further, we go down on Coming. Yeah, it's last thirteen games, thirteen wins and Souths haven't won

Yeah, this is magic Dusty old man, he hasn't.

Had down there And this is this is where, like you know last week against the Bulldogs, in the big games, that's where you need your big players to stand up. And arguably their two most disappointing players last week was Latrell and Cody.

Cody had a shock of two.

Well, he denies that Cody was hooked last week.

Made he maintains he wasn't hooked. He said what he said to me, He said he had a hamstrings. He's come back from a hamstring problem. Late in the game is where you're likely to get that, and that's why he thought, well, look we're not going to win game.

It was I think at that point. Yeah, it was about twenty six nil. But look, let's face it, he was terrible. I thought he was hooked.

He's off contract next year. Where are they with him?

He'll be resigned, resigned, He'll be resigned.

That's all you got for a to be a one year deal, possibly with a second year option. I have old Cody now thirty two thirty five five. If I'll be I'd say to be more of a one year deal with a second year option.

You know we'll get that. I was in the thirties.

I mean two.

Thirty five thirty very don't count made it thirty six months.

I don't get that.

At this stage.

I thought Cody had a pretty disappointing year last year. Yes he had injuries, but he was disappointing. He's been solid to start the season. I wouldn't say he's been great.

It does away too, doesn't he have yourself?

This will South Sydney be a better team in twenty twenty six when Cody Walker is thirty six and he's still their main playmaker, like or do they need to start looking and planning for the future.

I think what they'll do is rewarding through loyalty, and they'll definitely signed him on at least the one year deal, and I think he deserves that. But it's a very good question that you ask, Like, that's a tough one, and that's that's a big decision for him to make, probably in twelve months. I think if he asked for it to year deal, that would make it very interesting whether they do it or not.

I just look at the souse at the moment. Aren't quote with the elite.

So you disagree with calls, you just think sign him on you you.

Certainly resign him. He's still an elite player.

I don't forget Cody didn't really establish himself in thenner all til he was twenty seven, So he's got a few years left in him that others don't have because of wearing that made you can't play to year one hundred just because you started at twenty six. He doesn't have the wear and tear on his body that others do.

He's played a fair bit of foot. Are you saying you should he injuried.

Now, mate, No, I look, I'm not saying he's not a good player, but if you want to be a premiership contender, I'm not certain Souths are going to be in a greater spot.

This time next year if he remains their main man. That's all I'm saying. You're dismissing el play. I'm not dismissing him made.

I'm saying at the moment, at the moment, I don't consider sous up with the top four teams and do you want to get there? Like look at Melbourne's helves at the moment You've got Jerome Hughes and Cameron Munster. You go to Penrifoll, they've got Nathan They've lost your own. The top teams have good playmakers.

And who's the best one. I don't think thirty six, mate, is where you're bus replace that. There's no point getting rid of them. Have you got no one better to come in?

Look there not yet?

You've got luck on Gavant on the market.

Or do you know?

No, I'm just saying, I'm just saying I know nothing. That's just me throwing there.

Are good young players out there, That's what I'm saying, I just wonder, after what we've seen so far, if he's worthy of a new contract.

We won't need to get you a calculating to all right now, the good news. The good news is for sus Storm coming off a big last no Grant Hughes seems he wounded.

Its not good news for this house. Yeah, that's not good news. Melbourne stim coming off a lost. I said last week, you know, like the only problem was Melbourne was so dominant against Manly that they had put the Q on the rack and this here to lose the Redcliffe up there. The way they lost, I think it would have been a horrible week down there. And and Melbourne don't lose too like, you know.

Melbourne had some bad luck in that game too, Like I know, Look, the Dolphins were wonderful coming back and winning.

But they went in without Harry.

They lost howarth early didn't they like it sort of shut coats down and there's.

A clearly show how important Harry is the Storm. Without Harry, they come back.

To the feet wried about it. I won't be worried about him. They look wounded, you know, like Jerame's had. He's had injuries for a couple of years now against his shoulder, he's you know, he looked a bit sluggish, you know, not like he's a great player, don't get me wrong, but he's carrying an injury, you know. And then they don't sort of they've been dropping off at the back end of games. Thought that was because they'd won the previous ones and just kind of put the

I don't know.

They didn't just fall away in this game, fell apart. They got that.

They've got a point, said Broth. Are they the Premiership favorites in your eyes?

They were?

And I still have them there. Now this week's a big week, you know, and how these experienced players in key positions get through the year with major setbacks like they've had so far. Because the whole thing about Melbourne, why they are short is because not only formed, but they had they were healthy in key positions. They're nine, six, seven and one. For the first time in a long time ra aw fline. All of a sudden, you know, two have sort of gone down and how do they

Do you think I'm saying that potetiically signal Ez?

Yeah.

Maybe Es has been working hard.

It's got a couple of weeks left.

But it does played nine at international level, let alone at club level here, and I know that z has been training bloody hard here so forgets the opportunity to come back in when he does, I'm sure if you're ready.

He's a great kid.

Made he made a mistake, he owned it and I don't think there's any sugarcoating that. But as a person and having the opportunity to grow with him since he come into the club at seventeen, I know what you know this club means to him, but his community and you know, being a role model for young kids and

It's some big decisions to be made by Mirk McGuire up in Brisbane over the next few weeks, with Ezra men set to return in a couple of weeks. Ben Hunt having close to the worst game I've ever seen him playing the weekend. I felt sorry for him. You know, that's not a dig. It just wasn't very good. What do they do? What's going to happen? Where have you got him at the moment? Cross?

Oh look, I thought, yeah, Hunt was terrible on the weekend.

I thought the decision to move him into dummy half during the match kind of strange. And Billy Waters goes out to play five to eight. You know, you've got four hookers in the club and Ben Hunt's moving there, and I know I know that we probably saw this as something that might happen down the track when Ezra was coming back but I thought to myself, I wondered, is that the first cracks that appear here? Because Hunt

Sees himself as a half back or.

A half yep.

And I think we just saw the fact that when Ezra does return.

Yeah absolutely.

Well.

Look when you're playing for Coins and you're put on, when you're playing for Australia just to get it on the side, you'll put on any number. But when it comes to club I think Ben Hunt thinks that he's half.

The worrying part was Ben Hunt's body language. He's waving his arms around. He looked totally rattled. For a senior player, you don't normally expect that. But I think there was a bad pass. He didn't chase the boat that picked up the ball. There was the dummy half and he went to throw to Adam Reynolds for the match winning the field goal.

He fumbled that, but it wasn't so much the mistakes.

We all make mistakes, but this is the bit I'm talking about, waving his arms around, remonstrating with the referee. He just lost his way badly for a bloke who's had so much experience, it's quite up.

Only a couple of weeks ago it was like, where's Ezra, We're going to fit him in. He will be fourteen now, all of a sudden, now it's like within a few weeks.

I haven't reckon though, Like even even the Broncos have been hot and cold. They've lost their last two, but even before that they were going pretty good. But has Reese Walsh really lit up the field like he has when I've been thinking to himself for some time he's missed Ezra, you know, like I think Walsh hasn't been as good without his little mate there when.

He had that injury at PCL, which you know we thought it looked like core, but he was justified in the end because he struggled all a game with that. So that's why he struggled on the weekend. But all year he hasn't been oh in years.

And then so now after two defeats, they take on the Bulldogs who were unbeaten, and who I reckon will go into this game with a point to prove because I think it is the bulldogs only defeat this year was in a trial match, and when we saw that trial match, the Broncos man handled him. At that point, I thought the dogs aren't going to look. Have they got the manpower to aim up to these big teams? I reckon they'll go up there with the point approved.

A bit of pressure on Madge up there after the last couple of weeks, no doubt about that. Now, you guys, stick around and and Zac Day on Fox League will be something very special. All three games live and I Break three jury play with coverage from three pm on Channel five oh two.