I had prepared something quite different for this weeks discussion, but that was overcome by events; ie, the Lachie Galvin show. That has made this topic not only current but even more relevant. I have outlined below my take on the current situation our club finds itself in a "development club" in a pool of sharks that is the NRL.
Note that this is my personal view on what is a possible framework could look like for discussion purposes - it is not a proposed solution supported by deep research.
Deep Dive of the Week 3 – What is the benefit of Wests Tigers operating as a development club?
The recent contract dilemma surrounding Lachlan Galvin has reignited an important question for the Wests Tigers: should the club embrace its identity as a development club — and if so, is that strategy viable in today’s NRL landscape?
While the Galvin situation has been already been resolved after he advised us that he will would be testing the market come 1 November, it provides us with an opportunity to examine the challenges and opportunities related to player development at the elite level. More broadly, it prompts reflection on how the NRL system treats clubs that invest heavily in grassroots pathways, and whether that model is sustainable without broader structural support.
So, What Is a Development Club in the NRL?
In simple terms, a development club is one that focuses its resources on scouting, nurturing, and retaining local junior talent rather than relying on high-profile signings. Successful examples include the Penrith Panthers, who have built a premiership-winning core from within their junior nursery, the North Queensland Cowboys, whose 2022 rise was driven by homegrown stars, and Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs, who, after developing a core of talent from other clubs, is starting to bring through juniors from their nursery.
We have one of the largest junior catchment areas in the game, so, this approach to growing the club makes sense in principle. The club has produced elite-level players such as Benji Marshall and James Tedesco and is currently nurturing TDS. However, identifying and developing talent is only half the battle. As shown with the drawn out Lachlan Galvin saga, the harder part is retaining them long enough to see the benefits.
The Tigers' Development Dilemma
To function successfully as a development club, we need to ensure three key pillars are in place:
- A Clear and Stable Pathway: Junior players must see a transparent path from SG Ball to NRL — with consistent coaching and positional planning (reflect on Deep Dive 2 in relation to coach development).
- Organisational Stability: Frequent turnover in head coaches, recruitment staff, and senior management undermines trust and progress.
- Cultural Buy-In: The club must foster a first-grade culture that younger players aspire to be part of, not to leave at the first opportunity.
Right now, we are in a transitional phase. While there have been renewed investments in pathways, facilities, and staff, the club still struggles with on-field results and broader cultural cohesion. These issues directly affect retention. Until we have juniors coming through the system into a balanced, and consistently high performing first grade side the club will remain a breeding ground for talented juniors to be poached by non-developmental clubs like Melbourne Storm and the Sydney Roosters.
Case Study: Lachlan Galvin
Lachlan Galvin represents the prototypical development success story — a confident, homegrown "five-eighth" with a strong junior resume and a bright future in the NRL. He’s shown composure beyond his years in a struggling side. Even though he has requested releases prior, he outwardly indicated a desire to perform and see out his tenure at the club. As a result the club invested in his development, believing that the investment would be rewarded with loyalty.
Yet just a handful of games into his NRL career, reports are that Galvin’s management does not believe that he can grow sufficiently under the guidance and mentorship of Benji Marshall and will test the market at the end of his current contract. The root cause, from Galvin’s management’s point of view, is a lack of direction, opportunity and growth at our club.
This situation highlights a core tension: even if the club
develops elite juniors, we risk losing them early if there’s no stable system to retain and elevate them. In Galvin’s case, questions remained around positional planning, the presence of experienced mentors, and the overall vision being presented to him.
Simply put, if a local junior who has stated that he wants to play with the club and the friends that he played with through his junior development has made a decision to test the market something deeper than money is part of the issue. The question we need to answer is this: can we identify and address the issue(s) before we lose the cream of our emerging crop?
Is the NRL System Built to Support Development Clubs?
While the NRL celebrates development success stories, the structural support for development clubs is non-existent. It is each club’s choice what approach they take to developing their roster and the NRL does not favour one approach over another.
The controversy created by poaching juniors from development clubs is alos great “click bait” and has the NRL constantly in the news; which meets the NRLs marketing needs. This does come at a cost. Fans become disgruntled as home grown talent walks out the dor to glamour clubs offering a premiership ride, glamour, and “outside of contract” support. Some fans choose to walk away from the game as they see their club raped of its home grown talent*.
The key challenges development clubs face include:
- No salary cap discounts for players developed internally, meaning clubs pay full price to retain the very players they’ve produced.
- No draft system or transfer fees, making it easy for wealthier or more successful clubs to sign emerging talent without compensation.
- No (enforced) limitations on managers negotiating with rival clubs while players are still mid-contract, creating instability for rebuilding teams; i.e., managers negotiate outside of the 1 November deadline without talking contract specifics
This makes it difficult for struggling teams to hold onto talent long enough to build a competitive roster. Unless the system evolves to reward retention and long-term planning, the pressure to produce juniors will always outweigh the ability to keep them.
So Where Do the Tigers Go From Here?
If we want to reach our goal of being a development club, we must double down — not only in identifying talent but more importantly in building an environment where players
want to stay and grow. That means:
- Appointing strong, long-term football leadership (potential GM of Footy).
- Ensuring clear and honest communication with young players and their representatives (Pathways).
- Building a first-grade environment that prioritises mentoring, accountability, and growth over short-term fixes (Professional and Continual Coach Development)
Retaining Lachlan Galvin clearly demonstrates Wests Tigers current standing in the NRL as a development Club. The handling of TDS and his future are symbolic of our broader commitment to turning the development club cream into reality. Not because he’s the finished product, but because, with Galvin gone, he now represents the future the club claims to be investing in.
Conclusion
The concept of the Wests Tigers as a development club is not only logical — it’s necessary in order for us to climb out of the ashes of our inner turmoil. But for that model to succeed, we need investment in the professional development of our coaching staff, stability in the club and its staff and the creation of a consistently high performing NRL team with a culture that inspires our juniors.
It is essential that the club invests in systems that protect and reward those investments. It must, conspire with the other development clubs to lobby the NRL and the RLPA to create systems that support the development and retention of our juniors. Failure to invest in this, as the foundation of the club, risk us becoming nothing more than a feeder club for more successful organisations. The challenge is convincing the NRL and the RLPA that failing to protect the juniors of development club’s risks weakening the very grassroots talent pipeline it relies upon to survive.
Galvin's situation was more than just a contract negotiation — it’s was a referendum on the Tigers' long-term strategy, and a test case for how the league values development clubs in a competitive and commercially-driven era. The fallout will be interesting to watch.
What are your thoughts and ideas?
* How many requires detailed investigation and is beyond the scope of this level of analysis – but is worthy of investigation by the club.
