To be honest I think setting a hard deadline plays into Moses’ hands. Having said that, I also think that a deadline forms part of the strategy for combating Moses. While I admire Richo’s closed door to the media approach; I think we are missing the odd trick. I have no inside info. This is just how I would probably go about it if I was in charge of the toy set.
First and formost we need to reframe the narrative to a postive Galvin story that Wests Tigers can make happen. Make the narrative about the player not the club.
Reframe the Narrative around loyalty and legacy. I think the media has already done a good job in pushing this narrative for us; but I think we could be a little more forward leaning and start having Benji state in press conferences Galvin is the face of the Tigers’ rebuild—a local hero and future captain. Turn the emotional leverage Moses uses back on him. To support this we could:
- Encourage former players (e.g., Farah, Pierce) to publicly speak about what staying at the Tigers means.
- Push the “one-club legend” angle to appeal to Galvin directly.
- Use carefully timed media interviews or features highlighting the Tigers’ new spine building around him.
Goal: Make
leaving seem like betraying a movement, not just a business decision. Richo is probably all over this in the background. I think we could use the media a little more to our advantage.
Structure a Tiered Extension. Offer a deal that has clauses to his advantage, but also offers us opportunities to push him out if he doesn’t deliver:
- A 3- or 4-year deal with player/club triggers after years 2 and 3 (e.g., performance bonuses, exit clauses, club options based on player KPIs, renewal clauses etc). This is already the norm so a no brainer here.
- Include ratchet escalators: salary bumps tied to club performance (top-8 finishes, finals appearances).
- Offer a marketing/residual income clause: e.g., club-backed endorsements or leadership development tied to club loyalty.
Goal: Give Moses the
appearance of control while locking Galvin into a commitment with club-favourable conditions. Again I have no doubts that this is happening in the background.
Pre-empt the Bidding War using Soft Leverage. Before Moses can float Galvin’s name to rivals on 1 Nov:
- Discuss with other CEOs what Moses is up to and garner their interest. In some cases he will be lied to - but others, if not interested will be candid. I have no doubts that Richo could "share" relevant info with them.
- Leak that two other key juniors are being extended, signalling long-term stability (e.g, TDS/Luke L)
Goal: Cut off Moses' ability to use "interest from Club X" as a weapon by already understanding the market and controlling the public narrative. Richo is one of those guys I expect that will not have a meeting until he knows what everyone around the table will say, for or against. This is just smart busiiness - we should have this in the bag.
Get in with the Inner Circle. Moses usually works through the family/inner circle of a player to win favour. To counter this we should:
- Build rapport with Galvin’s parents, junior coaches, and mentors.
- Involve Galvin (and TDS/Latu F) in high-level club discussions (e.g., leadership group, recruitment feedback) as “learning experiences” for long term player development
- Ensure he feels his involvement in the Tigers strategy for success.
Goal: Make Galvin feel emotionally committed to the club’s rebuild, reducing the influence of external agents. Richo has already stated that he has had positive meeting with the parents etc. He may even have a positive(ish) relationship with Moses - who knows. He is an experience negotiator so I would expect he is doing what he can here.
Set a Strategic Deadline and Stick to It. Moses will try to drag out the negotiation to build pressure. I think, once we have all of the other elements in place, we should counter with a clear but respectful timeline.
- Example: “We want to finalise Galvin’s future before Round 16 to avoid mid-season distractions.”
- Ensure any delay comes with consequences—less favourable terms, public statements, etc.
Goal: Regain control of the timeline and reduce Moses’ ability to manipulate urgency. This a subtle but significant approach to giving him four weeks take it or leave it.
So, what does this do for us?
If we take this sort of approach, which I expect we are probably 90% across, we:
- Appear player-first and flexible to Galvin.
- Quietly lock down long-term value.
- Neutralise Moses’ leverage points.
- Show fans and other players they won’t be manipulated, but still reward loyalty.
So, while I think a deadline is part of the negotiation process, locking him down too early without having done the work behind the scenes will not end well for us.
Having done all of the above he could still walk - such is life!
