The reason behind Jarome Luai’s reported frustration with Lachlan Galvin’s Tigers snub has been laid bare while stats have come to light of the teen sensation’s rapid improvement under Benji Marshall.
Galvin won’t extend his contract with the club to instead test his value on the open market and his Tigers teammates have expressed their displeasure in recent days via social media.
Luai was one of those, writing ‘Team First’ on an Instagram story soon after the Galvin news broke.
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The NRL360 panel discussed why Luai would be feeling disappointed and let down by Galvin’s decision.
Co-host Braith Anasta says that Luai has had sacrifice and change his game to facilitate Galvin’s playing style.
“You watch the games this year and it stands out more. I’m thinking, ‘gee, he’s changed the way he’s played this year Jarome’,” Anasta said.
“He is very controlled, his kicking game is on point, his game management has been superb so he’s put his ego aside this year for Lachlan Galvin and the way Galvin wants to play and that’s what builds so much emotion here.
“We’ve got a four-time premiership winner going to a club and putting his ego aside and playing a different style of footy to keep a 19-year-old happy.
“Jarome’s been the steady head so he’s gone, you know what, team first mentality, team first mentality whereas the other kid has been the opposite and that’s been shown by the reaction to all of this.”
While there have been plenty who disagree with it, Anasta said he has no problem with Luai’s social media post.
“Jarome has copped so much over the years and I think he’s proven everyone wrong, even before coming to the Tigers.
“I think he’s earned the right.”
Galvin "improving at everything" | 01:35
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Having Luai beside him this season has taken Galvin’s game to a new level, which makes the young playmaker’s decision even harder to understand.
“Lachlan Galvin has actually played this year like Jarome at the Panthers. He’s drifting around, playing off the cuff, making errors but coming up with big plays,” Anasta said.
Galvin is reportedly on his way out because he believes he’ll develop better at a new team and under a new coach.
However, stats show that Galvin has already improved rapidly under Tigers coach Benji Marshall.
According to the Fox Sports Lab, in the first 15 games of his career under Marshall, Galvin recorded eight try assists, nine line break assists and averaged 140 kick metres a game.
In his previous 12 games, those numbers spiked significantly. In that span, Galvin has recorded 15 try assists (over one per game), 11 line break assists and has averaged 213 kick metres.
NRL legend Gorden Tallis, who believes Galvin’s decision is about the money and not the coaching, says the stats clearly point to a playmaker who is improving his craft under the current regime he’s in.
“I’m thinking, ‘what is this kid talking about … He’s improved in everything,” Tallis said.
