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In a week that seemingly won’t end for the Wests Tigers, their former five-eighth outplayed their current one.
Jarome Luai and Lachlan Galvin were anything but close when they wore the same colours, but much bonds them regardless. They both attract headlines, are more suited to the pivot role than halfback, and will make inglorious early departures from Concord.
Luai, for reasons unknown, took umbrage when asked during the week about his Tigers legacy. Any chance of it finishing with a finals appearance was effectively snuffed out in a 32-0 drubbing at the hands of a Galvin-led Canterbury.
The Bulldogs kept their opponents scoreless and didn’t concede a single line break. Viliame Kikau, in his first game back from a pec injury he suffered in round eight, gave his team a scare when he came off early, but said afterwards there were no injury concerns.
This Tigers loss – their 11th in succession at Accor Stadium – hurt more than most. On the few occasions Luai touched the ball – there were few opportunities to do so given the Bulldogs’ significant advantage of possession – he was greeted with a smattering of boos. It was unclear whether they emanated from Canterbury supporters or his own.
Just a few short years ago, the Bulldogs came agonisingly close to securing Luai’s signature. Now, it’s the only western Sydney club he won’t run out for.
“He went out and tried to do his job,” Tigers coach Benji Marshall said of Luai.
“Obviously, the scoreboard got the better of us, so we were trying to catch our tail there at the back end. But he was trying hard.”
Galvin, meanwhile, had a hand – or foot – in four tries. Jethro Rinakama was the main beneficiary, crossing twice on the left flank. While it wasn’t a flawless performance – some of the passes Galvin threw to his back-rowers were the hospital variety - he looked more comfortable having a natural halfback, Sean O’Sulivan, inside of him.
O’Sullivan kicked two 40-20s and took control, just a day after the team was inspired by a visit from the greatest Bulldogs halfback of them all, Steve “Turvey” Mortimer. Which made the decision to give him an early shower a surprising one. His performance will give Canterbury coach Cameron Ciraldo a welcome headache when Stephen Crichton returns from injury.
The Tigers looked more threatening when Luai’s mooted replacement, Latu Fainu, came off the bench. He was soon back on it after copping 10 minutes in the sin bin for an ungainly tackle on Leo Thompson. The normally mild-mannered Alex Twal joined him after an open-hand slap on Jaeman Salmon. Twal was lucky not to be sent off right on the siren after he found himself in another scuffle.
“The thing I love about Twaly is that he loves the club and he’s passionate,” Marshall said.
“He cares about the result. His frustrations, you don’t often see that from him, It’s probably a reflection of a lot of us, how we’re feeling at the moment as a club.”
If Fainu and Adam Doueihi – also placed on report for a high tackle – are both suspended, we’ll get an earlier look at the young halves talent at the Tigers’ disposal than predicted.
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