Phil Gould has predicted Wests Tigers five-eighth Lachlan Galvin will exit the club early due to the "untenable" situation that has developed in recent days.
The 19-year-old released a statement on Tuesday, confirming he would not be re-signing with the club beyond the expiry of his current contract at the end of 2026.
The prodigy made the controversial comment that leaving the Tigers was "in the best interests of my career", outlining a desire to "build my game at a different club" during "an important period of my development as a half".
This followed reports that his manager Isaac Moses had told Wests hierarchy that Galvin would not develop under coach Benji Marshall.
Furious senior players informed club legend Marshall they did not want to play with Galvin, who was subsequently dropped for Monday's clash with Parramatta as teammates Jarome Luai and Sunia Turuva fired barbs on social media.
Gould, speaking on his 'Six Tackles With Gus' podcast, said he was worried about Galvin's welfare and didn't believe the young gun would spend two seasons in reserve grade.
Podcast host Mathew Thompson asked the Canterbury boss, whose club is among those in the mix to sign the playmaker, if Galvin would now leave.
"I think he'll have to," Gould replied.
Gould said Galvin's situation was now "untenable".
"This is the first time time I have ever seen it played out so publicly," Gould said.
"Within hours (of Galvin's statement) the playing group has said, 'if that's your attitude we don't want you in the team'.
"That's terrible. That is why the playing group has come out and supported the coach.
"Benji didn't make that decision. The senior playing group took it out of his hands and said we don't want to play with him."
Gould added he was stunned Galvin had doubled down on the slight on Marshall that emerged in the media.
"I'm surprised that he has come out and endorsed that, but he has endorsed it. It's his decision," Gould said.
"Benji has made him stand in front of the group and explain why he wants to leave the club and he is now at loggerheads with the playing group.
"I don't know how that, for a young player, is tenable at all. Look where it has placed him right now, with the fans, the playing group and the club."
While Galvin has said his move is not about money, the Tigers had prepared an offer of $5 million over five seasons.
The talented Tiger would command at least that on the open market.
But Gould has long stated that players should not be competing until the age of 20 in the NRL and should be on rookie contracts.
"Nathan (Cleary) had a very modest graduation of his contract over a period of time," the former Penrith supremo said.
"Nathan has said to me even to this day, 'I am so glad you didn't put me on big money early in my career'. Not all players and player managers see it that way and it is to their detriment."
The Wests Tigers' stance, which includes stating they would not let Galvin exit his contract, was applauded by Gould as "strong".
"And I think that is what the Wests Tigers fans are applauding at the moment. As much as it hurts, it is a real statement," he said.
