Two weeks on from the tumult surrounding Lachlan Galvin’s declaration he wants out of the West Tigers, coach Benji Marshall says the “noise” has slowed down, allowing full focus on building the growing momentum around his team.
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Galvin, who was dropped to NSW Cup after his management informed the club that the teenage star would exit at the end of his contract in 2026, returned to the NRL side last week as the Tigers recorded a stirring golden-point win over Cronulla.
It took Marshall’s side to a 4-4 record ahead of a winnable Magic Round showdown with St George Illawarra at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday.
Marshall saw “connection” among his team in the closing stages of the win over the Sharks, in contrast to talk senior players were at odds with 19-year-old playmaker Galvin.
Now, after a “good week”, he wants the full focus on footy to pay off.
“There are a lot of instances where we could have lost that game and for the boys to be able to fight together and get out of that with the win is big for us,” he said.
“To go into Magic Round four and four, it’s a fair start for the season.
“I think as a club, everyone probably needed that result just to slow the noise a bit and then let us just focus on footy, so it’s been a good week.”
Amid growing positivity at the Tigers, Marshall talked up the impact recruit Terrell May had been having with his named being mentioned as a potential State of Origin inclusion for NSW coach Laurie Daley.
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But Marshall said there was one clear way for May to stay in the conversation.
“We just like the way he’s leading some of our younger blokes as well. I think (Fonua) Pole, for example, has been following him around, doing a good job too, so we love having him (May),” Marshall said.
“The good thing about Terrell is he wants to play good footy for us, and usually if we’re doing that, it (Origin selection) will take care of himself.”
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Tigers centre Starford To’a may miss as many as two games after sustaining a neck injury in their golden point win over the Sharks on Sunday at Leichhardt Oval, with Charlie Staines set to play his first NRL game this season as a replacement.
“It’s not serious. Just had a scan off the back of last week’s game and the specialist said he probably needs one to two weeks,” Marshall said in his press conference on Friday.
“Hopefully one, but whatever is necessary to get him right, we’ll do.
“That was a bit of a late curve ball for us, but Charlie Staines comes into the fold there, playing on the wing, so it’s a good experience for him coming in.”
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