‘You don’t play 347 NRL games if you have a poor work ethic’: Benji bristles over coaching attack

When told his focus on a healthy work-life balance could pave the way for the Generation Next NRL coaches, Marshall said: “I’ve done nothing in coaching; I know where I stand. I’m not trying to pave the way, all I know is when you get a job like this, you want to do things to a certain standard and way.

“I’ve been coached by some great coaches who do different things. I want to do things a certain way. It doesn’t mean I don’t work hard.”

Marshall was more glowing of Galvin, who was tipped to start in round one at least six weeks ago, around the same time he told this masthead that he had been let go by Parramatta for being too small, despite being 193cm.

His father James, mother Tracy, and two brothers, Tom and Matthew, made the trek to Concord for the jersey presentation before the captain’s run.

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James, who is a greenkeeper at Camden’s Lakeside Golf Club and a handy Metropolitan Cup player back in the day, told this masthead: “He’s wanted to do it since he was four years of age.

“I was good during the presentation. Lachie had some tears. I told him to enjoy the moment and do what you do best and play well. He knows how to play. If Benji reckons he’s ready, I think he’s ready.”

Marshall said of Galvin: “There’s no fear in what he does. He won every test in the pre-season, fitness wise, and as an 18-year-old kid, you want to see how they go defensively, and in the wrestle room he was outstanding as well.

“When you see a guy train the way he has in the pre-season, then you put him in situations where he’s playing against the big boys in the second team, and he’s carving them up. Then you put him on in a trial, and he brings energy and a fresh spark. Two weeks after that, he’s been outstanding.

“Lachie won’t come in and be the saviour of the club like everyone is talking about. He’ll come in and do his job, and his job as the five-eighth is to get the team around the park and play footy. That’s all we want from him.”

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