Latest news with #BenjiMarshall
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
'Wasting your time': NRL legend responds amid Nathan Cleary and Mary Fowler rumour
😃 The good: NRL greats don't think Nathan Cleary will move 😔 The bad: Benji Marshall and Wests Tigers spiralling again 😡 The ugly: Ezra Mam's on-field act during Broncos loss You're wasting your time. That's the message from four of rugby league's biggest names in response to rumours Nathan Cleary might be eyeing a switch to rugby union. Former Wallaby Tim Horan fired up the juicy bit of gossip last week, suggesting the Panthers superstar was "quite keen" to leave the NRL for the 15-man game. Another ex-Wallaby, Morgan Turinui, was happy to run with the story, adding "there is interest on both sides". If you believe the narrative, the rumours have Cleary moving to a UK/European rugby club to be closer to partner Mary Fowler. It all sounds good in theory but is it actually a chance of happening? Not according to those in the know. "What's today, June 1 - it's not April 1. I'm saying a big fat no. That won't happen," Immortal Andrew Johns told the Sunday Footy Show. Queensland Origin coach Billy Slater was another to cast doubt on the move. He said: "It would be a pull-off for the Wallabies if they could get Nathan Cleary, but I don't think that would happen. I'd be surprised if Nathan challenged himself with that." Cameron Smith and Brad Fittler also wrote off the possibility. But we learned a long time ago to never outrightly dismiss any scenario when it comes to rugby league. Watch this space. View this post on Instagram A post shared by NRL on Nine (@nrlonnine) Benji Marshall insists the Tigers have left the Lachlan Galvin drama behind them and are sick of talking about the departed five-eighth. That may be the case, but the club's results since Galvin announced he wanted out shows a worrying trend. Going back to the Easter Monday clash against Parramatta – which Galvin missed after being axed in the wake of his decision not to accept a contract extension – the Tigers have won just two games in six. From occupying a position in the top eight, Marshall's men have now slipped to 13th ahead of a testing run of games. Alarmingly, they have conceded 146 points in their past four games, which included the nightmare 64-0 defeat to Melbourne. The Tigers showed plenty of ticker to fight back against the Cowboys on Saturday night, but the fact remains they trailed 32-6 at one stage. The recent drop off cannot all be put down to Galvin's exit but there's no doubt the ongoing circus has been a major distraction. High profile recruit Jarome Luai is doing his best to keep his side in the contest but is clearly frustrated and agitated as he prepares to take on his old Panthers teammates this weekend. After three straight wooden spoons, Tigers fans are starting to wonder whether the supposed revival is fast becoming a mirage. The out-of-form Broncos have enough problems without Ezra Mam adding to their dramas. The disgraced five-eighth was hit by a barrage of abuse by Manly fans each time he touched the ball during Brisbane's awful 34-6 loss at 4 Pines Park on Saturday night. It's the first time Mam has played outside of Queensland since returning from a nine-game ban for crashing into car while unlicensed and under the influence of drugs, injuring three people. And while he was given a soft ride back into the NRL in front of his own fans in Round 11, those south of the border clearly aren't willing to forgive and forget. Mam didn't help his cause at Brookvale, jumping to his feet with arms outstretched in a Christ the Redeemer pose after scoring his side's only try. Some saw his actions as lacking humility and class given his off-field troubles, jumping on social media to condemn his actions. Sea Eagles life member and veteran media figure Peter Peters said: "I think the booing of Ezra Mam showed the NRL got it wrong in the suspension for what he did. He's got to be a little more humble. He's not everyone's cup of team at the moment. "To act like he did…to look to the heavens and poke his chest out like he's something special was hard to take. He needs to take a good look at himself."
News.com.au
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
‘Just dumb': NRL world turns on star Tiger Jarome Luai
Life without Lachlan Galvin has not started well for Jarome Luai and the Wests Tigers. Teenage five-eighth Galvin finally got his wish and joined the Bulldogs on Friday, ending a drawn out saga as coach Benji Marshall injected youngster Heath Mason into his starting line-up to face North Queensland in Townsville. Marshall would have expected a strong showing from Luai, but his captain let himself and the side down with a series of infringements that led to 10 minutes in the bin in just the 12th minute of the match. In a horrendous display of ill discipline, it began with big Royce Hunt holding on for too long just outside his own try line and gifting the Cowboys another set. Enter Jarome Luai. In what could only be a brain explosion, or a misguided attempt to give his teammates a chance to reset their line, Luai twice held on for far too long in consecutive tackles, testing the patience of referee Gerard Sutton. The first may have had a little extra feeling when he clung onto former Tiger John Bateman, giving North Queensland yet another set. Sutton could be heard barking at Luai, but he didn't listen as he did it again on the next tackle on Cowboy Sam McIntyre. 'Luai again, oh, trouble. Gone. Luai is out of here for 10 minutes,' Dan Ginnane said on Fox League. Sutton said to Luai: 'That's three rucks, back to back to back, in the same set of possession. 'It's a mandatory sin bin. You had two six mores, then that, it doesn't matter.' Adding to the Tigers' woes, Api Koroisau was also placed on report for an infringement during the same Cowboys set. With the one-man advantage, North Queensland quickly scored tries through Bateman and Jaxon Purdue to break the game open. Tigers fans were absolutely livid with their skipper. 'Luai is supposed to be our captain but is letting us down with pathetic leadership. Really tough to watch,' was one comment on X. 'Luai showing his leadership qualities yet again,' said another sarcastically. 'Wests fans try tell us Luai is better than Galvin? The guy that crabs sideways all game, the guy with 1 try assist all season, the guy that gets binned for stupid continued ruck infringements letting his team down,' tweeted another. 'Well that's just idiotic from Luai there … could see that sin bin coming from a mile away,' wrote a fourth. A fifth claimed: 'Jarome Luai deserved to go there. It's so unnecessary for giving away a penalty as stupid as that and he then doubled down on it.' Other comments labelled Luai 'brain dead', 'just dumb' and he was accused of 'losing the plot'. One fan even had a cheeky dig at the club's contract drama, tweeting: 'Galvin wouldn't have done that.' The home side took a comfortable 18-6 lead into halftime, with Adam Doueihi also spending 10 minutes in the bin late in the first half as the Tigers fell apart. Starford To'a had given the visitors a little hope with a try in the 25th minute, but the Cowboys finished the half well on top. 'That will be all she wrote for the first half,' Ginnane said. 'Boy the Tigers make it hard for themselves.' Speaking during the break, Fox League's Yvonne Sampson said: 'Benji Marshall will be steaming on the discipline. 'It has spoiled any of the Wests Tigers' sense of adventure in Townsville so far. 'Jarome Luai, the sin bin, started off a chain reaction that really went in the Cowboys' favour.'
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Footy fan armed with a phone exposes the NRL's biggest secret with Lachlan Galvin video - as league looks at punishing Bulldogs
A savvy footy fan has exposed the NRL 's biggest secret - wantaway Wests Tigers star Lachlan Galvin is now a Bulldog. It comes despite the joint venture club not yet releasing the five-eighth from Concord - or Canterbury formally announcing they have secured the youngster on a multi-year deal until 2028. Staunch Wests Tigers supporter Rob Bechara, who runs the popular Westslife podcast, uploaded the vision to X on Friday morning from outside Belmore Oval. Galvin already training with the Bulldogs even though no official release made public by the Tigers and no official announcement from the Bulldogs — Rob Bechara (@BecharaRob) May 30, 2025 Galvin can clearly be seen in blue and white Bulldogs training gear at the club's base in Sydney 's west. In the same clip, a number of Galvin's new teammates were doing stretching exercises, with the NRL ladder leaders enjoying the bye this weekend. Bechara added on X: 'Galvin already training with the Bulldogs even though no official release made public by the Tigers and no official announcement from the Bulldogs.' It also follows Canterbury's General Manager of Football Phil Gould being accused of courting Galvin while he was under contract at the Tigers. On Friday afternoon it emerged that the NRL is quizzing the Bulldogs over Galvin's presence at training, which could result in the club being hit with a heavy fine. Meanwhile, Benji Marshall says the energy is 'really positive' as the rebuilding NRL club finally forges into its post Galvin era. On Friday, head coach Marshall sidestepped questions on whether he was disappointed to lose Galvin, whose immediate move to Canterbury is finally expected to be confirmed this week. The teen star was excused from Tigers training for Round 13 and omitted from the team to face North Queensland on Saturday while the Bulldogs and Tigers finalise a transfer fee for his mid-season switch. Since then, Galvin has been subject to social media ridicule from teammates Jarome Luai and Sunia Turuva, served the Tigers with a legal letter over bullying claims, and dominated rugby league headlines during the State of Origin period. Understandably, Marshall is eager to move on from the soap opera. 'I guess everyone's probably a little bit sick of talking about it and it being reported,' the coach said. 'But we're just focused on the game. I know it's a cliched thing to say, but we have to be. 'It's been a great week at training. Everyone's looking forward to playing. 'We had a week off last week with the bye. The energy around the place has been really good, really positive.' Marshall shrugged off questions from the Townsville press as to whether he was disappointed to be losing the young gun around whom the Tigers had planned to continue their rebuild. 'I don't know if disappointment is the word,' Marshall said ahead of the clash with the Cowboys. 'We like the players we've got, we love the squad we've got, we're excited about some of the young players coming through for us. 'We want to try and make a mark on the competition this year. The squad we've got, we are confident we can do that.' Marshall has named Heath Mason to replace Galvin in the halves next to Luai.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Benji Marshall speaks out after eye-opening vision of Lachie Galvin at Bulldogs HQ
Wests Tigers coach Benji Marshall has denied suggestions the club is "disappointed" about losing Lachie Galvin, as the first footage emerged of the teenage playmaker at Bulldogs training on Friday. Amateur vision captured the 19-year-old decked out in Canterbury gear at the Bulldogs' Belmore headquaters, despite the fact his high-profile switch from the Tigers has yet to be officially confirmed. The deal is expected to be rubber-stamped this week after the Dogs reportedly agreed to pay a $175,000 release fee to secure the five-eighth's services immediately. It's understood the 19-year-old has put pen to paper on a contract with the Dogs worth $750,000 per-season that will keep him at the club until at least the end of 2028. reports that the delay in finalising the Galvin deal has centred around "a non-disparagement clause" that the Tigers wanted signed, before officially granting his release. It's essentially a legal move that prevents Galvin from discussing his exit from the Tigers, following previous reports the 19-year-old was considering legal action against the club over accusations of bullying. The Bulldogs have reportedly agreed to the clause in what appears to be the final step towards making the move official after Galvin rejected a $5 million contract extension with the Tigers last month. Galvin's presence at Bulldogs HQ comes after he was excused from Wests Tigers training, having been left out Marshall's squad for Saturday's round 13 clash in Townsville against the Cowboys. Galvin already training with the Bulldogs even though no official release made public by the Tigers and no official announcement from the Bulldogs — Rob Bechara (@BecharaRob) May 30, 2025 Marshall did his best to sidestep questions around Galvin when asked about his former playmaker during Friday's press conference. The Tigers coach tried to put a positive spin on the situation, despite the fact they've lost one of brightest young talents in the game, with Marshall and the team eager to move on from the ongoing soap opera. "I guess everyone's probably a little bit sick of talking about it and it being reported," Marshall said. "But we're just focused on the game. I know it's a cliched thing to say, but we have to be. It's been a great week at training. "Everyone's looking forward to just playing. We had a week off last week with the bye. The energy around the place has been really good, really positive." The fact the Tigers were willing to offer the 19-year-old such a lucrative deal proves he was viewed as the future of the club and a player to build the team around. But Marshall remained bullish when asked if the Tigers were disappointed to lose the prodigious talent, whom he handed an NRL debut to last year. "I don't know if disappointment's the word," Marshall said. "We like the players we've got, we love the squad we've got, we're excited about some of the young players coming through and for us. "We want to try and make a mark on the competition this year. The squad we've got, we're confident we can do that." Galvin's presence at Bulldogs training would appear to be the end of an ugly saga that saw him targeted in social media posts from teammates Jarome Luai and Sunia Turuva, prompting the legal threat from the teenager's camp. Marshall has turned to another 19-year-old in Heath Mason to take Galvin's spot at five-eighth alongside Luai for the clash against the Cowboys. Mason began the season at fullback in the absence of Jahream Bula but earns his first NRL start in the halves. And he's been given a simple game plan from the Tigers coach. "We just need our halves to do their job and control the field position," Marshall said. "We've seen some great glimpses of play from some of our players this year, and we're coming up against a pretty good Cowboys team that have got a lot of great attacking players." with AAP
News.com.au
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Wests Tigers coach Benji Marshall says departed teen star Lachlan Galvin in his rear-vision mirror as video emerges of him training at the Bulldogs
Wests Tigers coach Benji Marshall is keen to put departed teen star Lachlan Galvin in his and the club's rear-vision mirror, adamant there's a 'really positive' vibe after the playmaker's move to the Bulldogs was all but confirmed. The drawn-out saga, which included accusations from Galvin's management that the halfback wouldn't improve under Marshall's coaching, cast a dark cloud over the club for weeks. Galvin's move to Canterbury is expected to be confirmed this week, with social media footage appearing to show Galvin already on the field at the Bulldogs' Belmore headquarters on Friday circulating online. WATCH: Lachlan Galvin has hit the paddock at Belmore for his first Bulldogs training session (CS) — NRLCentral (@nrlcentrall) May 30, 2025 In Townsville for Saturday's clash with the North Queensland Cowboys, Marshall was reticent to dwell on the soap opera, keen to focus on the 'players we've got' and what they could achieve. 'I guess everyone's probably a little bit sick of talking about it and it being reported,' Marshall said. 'But we're just focused on the game. I know it's a clichéd thing to say, but we have to be. 'It's been a great week at training. Everyone's looking forward to just playing. We had a week off last week with the bye. The energy around the place has been really good, really positive.' With five wins from 11 games, the Tigers are out of the bottom reaches of the ladder where they've lived in recent seasons. But they aren't far enough away for Marshall's liking and he's backed in the quality of his squad, minus Galvin, to keep surging up the table. 'We like the players we've got, we love the squad we've got, we're excited about some of the young players coming through and for us,' he said. 'We want to try and make a mark on the competition this year. The squad we've got, we're confident we can do that.' The Tigers will unleash another teenager against the Cowboys, with 19-year-old Heath Mason named for his first start, replacing Galvin in the halves, and he's been given a simple game plan. 'We just need our halves to do their job and control the field position,' Marshall said. 'We've seen some great glimpses of play from some of our players this year, and we're coming up against a pretty good Cowboys team that have got a lot of great attacking players.'
