Lachie Galvin faced a tough punishment after missing the team bus last month. As a result, he had to clean the Wests Tigers gym and endure extra training sessions so intense that he vomited. Galvin, along with teammates Tallyn Da Silva and Luke Laulilii, was late leaving their Auckland hotel after the round 21 defeat to the New Zealand Warriors due to his alarm clock failing to go off.

Galvin opened up for the first time about the New Zealand slip-up, one of the few things that have not gone right for the rookie this year.

“We weren’t even on the drink,” Galvin told this masthead. “We were sober as. It was just a case of the alarm not going off.

“We had got home after the game, and because Luke had the HIA, we stayed with him. We were up until about 3am or 3.30am, just chilling and talking and mucking around in our room.

Lachlan Galvin (left) celebrates Luke Laulilii’s try on debut against Canberra.
Lachlan Galvin (left) celebrates Luke Laulilii’s try on debut against Canberra.Credit:Getty Images

Lachie Galvin recounted the incident, saying, “I set my alarm for 5:15 am because we had to be on the bus at 6 am. But the alarm never went off. [Tigers official] Billy Callaway knocked on our door about 6:10 am. Luckily, we were already packed. There was no time for a shower. We all looked at each other and were like, ‘Wow’. We got a taxi to the airport, which Billy paid for, but we ended up getting there before the bus. We apologized to [coach] Benji [Marshall] and the team.”

He added, “We had to do extras when we got home. We cleaned the gym for a few days and had three ‘off-feet’ sessions, which included the rower and assault bike. There were a few challenges, like one minute on and one minute off. I threw up a few times on the bike.”

Lachie Galvin, who was initially in the running for NRL rookie of the year, became ineligible after receiving a two-match suspension for a hip-drop tackle in round four.

As he prepares for his 19th game of the season against South Sydney, Galvin highlights his left-edge combination with Samuel Fainu as a key achievement in his debut year. However, he will switch to the right side for this match to enhance his right-footed kicking game and offer fans a preview of his performance on that side ahead of the arrival of Jarome Luai, who is primarily a left-sided player.

The 19-year-old Lachie Galvin will be joined by his good friend Heath Mason, who is set to make his first NRL start at fullback after Jahream Bula’s season-ending shoulder surgery. A victory over Souths, coupled with the bye in round 26, could provide the Tigers with an opportunity to avoid the wooden spoon, with Parramatta as their final-round opponents at Campbelltown.

Although Bula has been the regular No.1, his absence opens the door for Mason to showcase his skills in his preferred position.