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'If I'm Benji Marshall, I couldn't give two s***s': Matty Johns slams Wests Tigers over Galvin axing
Sam Kosack • April 16th, 2025 8:00 am
NRL great Matty Johns has strongly criticised the Wests Tigers for swinging the axe on rising star Lachlan Galvin after the young half rejected the club's multi-million-dollar extension offer.
The Wests Tigers released a statement on Monday outlining that Galvin had indicated he would test his value on the open market come November 1 and depart the club at the end of 2026 as he looks for a club he believes is better suited to his development.
The perceived criticisms of coach Benji Marshall saw angry reactions from fans, senior players, and club officials with Galvin ultimately being dropped from the Wests Tigers side to play the Parramatta Eels in their traditional Easter Monday clash.
Speaking on SEN 1170 Drive, Matty Johns criticised the club for relegating Galvin, believing it harms both club and player.
"If I'm Benji Marshall I couldn't give two s**** what Lachie Galvin thinks of me... (I'm saying) 'son, I'm picking you in the team and I need you to win for me'," Johns said.
"Now, on the other side of the coin, the senior players come to me and say they don't want to play alongside him? Okay, I take that on board but at the end of the day I'm the coach and if I make the decision the side is better with Lachie in the team, I pick him.
"Benji's coaching future is going to be decided on what happens between now and October so in my opinion he has to pick the best side.
"Are they a better side with Lachlan Galvin in there right now? The answer is yes so why the hell do you sacrifice 2025 for 2026? Why is 2026 more important than 2025?
"It hurts, it's disappointing, but channel everything towards playing finals footy at the end of this year and whatever happens after that, that's by the by."
Senior players including Jarome Luai and Sunia Turuva have used social media to take aim at Galvin for not having a "team first" mentality, as referenced in Luai's Instagram story.
Johns worries, by dropping Galvin, the situation threatens to derail the club's season.
"If you want all this to not become a distraction for your side, pick him this week," Johns thinks.
"Actions speak louder than words, you're not going win them all back... but if you get out there and you bust your gut and give it everything you got, you're going to earn some respect back and then we can start to move forward.
"It doesn't help dropping him. The pressure's going to build the more he's out of this first grade NRL side until he comes back in... I would've played him this weekend.
"I don't think it's a favour dodging him from the boos on Monday, I think it'd get everything out of the way quicker."
Co-captain Jarome Luai has been named at five-eighth in Galvin's absence with Adam Douiehi stepping into the halfback role.
The Wests Tigers take on the Eels on Easter Monday at 4pm, who will be the boosted by the return of Mitchell Moses for his first game of the season.
