“Lachie, he doesn’t trust ya!”
That was the hilariously brutal message from one Tigers player after Bulldogs halfback Lachlan Galvin’s plea to challenge a knock-on was ignored by skipper Stephen Crichton.
Watch every game of every round of the NRL Premiership LIVE with no ad-breaks during play on FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1.
Crichton initially dismissed Galvin before desperately trying to challenge the call, which was later shown to be incorrect by referee Peter Gough but it was too late.
It was at that point that a player was caught on the referee’s mic ribbing the former Tigers playmaker, who was also the subject of relentless boos from fans in Saturday’s game.
“That’s gold,” Fox League’s Gorden Tallis said of the sledge, adding that it looked like Crichton may have thought Galvin had the ball stripped in a one-on-one tackle.
That would go some way to explaining Crichton’s initial hesitation to challenge the call, with foxsports.com.au’s Paul Crawley declaring the outcry surrounding the moment has nothing to do with Galvin’s name but the number on his back.
MID-SEASON REPORT CARD: Every team graded as Broncos flop, Sea Eagles soar
Braith publicly backs Galvin | 01:46
“I made the point in my column earlier this week. At how many teams does the skipper not back a captain’s challenge from his chief playmaker?” he said.
“Can you imagine Api doing it to even Jock Madden? Teddy doing it to Sam Walker? I don’t care which club, it doesn’t happen.
“It was obvious here that something was going on. Lachie was adamant when he got up that the ball had been stripped by Kai Pearce-Paul. Crichton had an ample time… he was there debating it long enough.”
It comes as teammate Jacob Kiraz came to Galvin’s defence, labelling some of the abuse the halfback has copped on social media as “disgusting”.
“I hear a lot of things… I don’t want to go there,” Kiraz told Code Sports.
“I see fans, whether it’s from other teams, what they say to him first-hand—to be fair, I don’t like it.
“Let alone any of my teammates, but especially a 20-year-old halfback who, to be honest, has been one of our best this year.
“I hear it as well, and I just think it’s disgusting.”