As Wests Tigers tyro Lachlan Galvin prepares to go onto the open market, Penrith coach Ivan Cleary still believes young players are better off being paid modestly during their formative years.
Galvin looks set to spark a bidding war after his agent, Isaac Moses, informed Wests Tigers on Monday that his 19-year-old client would not be extending his current deal with the club, which expires at the end of next season.
Tigers CEO Shane Richardson said in a statement that “the club has NO intention of releasing Lachlan from his contract”, but rival outfits are unlikely to be deterred from tabling offers of around $1 million a season and agitating to expedite his departure.
Cleary’s son, champion halfback Nathan, was in a similar position to Galvin when he burst into first grade as an 18-year-old.
By the age of 20, he had established himself as the NSW halfback and was emerging as the game’s next champion.
As Ivan explained in his recently released autobiography, he advised Nathan to play the long game with his early contracts.
Panthers coach Ivan Cleary.Credit: Kate Geraghty
At one point Ivan’s wife, Rebecca, asked: “Isn’t he worth more?”
Ivan agreed that their son was. But he was also wary of the baggage that accompanies top-dollar deals.
Asked for his thoughts on the Galvin situation, Cleary replied: “I don’t have any thoughts on Lachy Galvin per se, but I’ve definitely got thoughts on young players, the pressure that the big money comes with.
“I’ve just seen it too many times.
“It doesn’t matter who you are or how old you are, when the price tag comes with it, the expectations just change.
“That’s internally and that’s externally as well.
“No manager ever listens to me, but that’s what I believe in.
“Certainly, Nathan was a case in point. I thought it worked well for him.”
Lachie Galvin on the attack.Credit: Getty Images
Asked if Penrith would consider making a bid for Galvin, Cleary replied with a chuckle: “I don’t think so. Unless it’s a bargain price.”
Not surprisingly, Cleary has more pressing priorities than worrying about his former club.
The Panthers have experienced a reality check after losing five consecutive games, a scenario that would have been unthinkable after they celebrated their fourth straight grand final triumph last season.
On Saturday, they take on the enigmatic Sydney Roosters, who have already beaten them this season.
‘When the price tag comes with it, the expectations just change.’
Ivan Cleary on the downside of lucrative deals for young players
“We’re just trying to play some decent footy,” Cleary said.
“If we can do that, we really believe that we can do anything. We haven’t done it yet, so until we do that, we’ll worry about the rest of it later.”
The coach said he is still searching for answers but is “absolutely” confident the Panthers are still alive in the race for the finals.
“We’ve had some ridiculously good times, and so many of them that sometimes when you think of it, it’s a little unfair that we’ve had so many good times,” he said.
“The wheel turns. It’s our time to experience some of the downsides of what we do.
“But we’ve had enough of that, really, so we’re looking forward to trying to get the good times back.”
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