NRL SuperCoach live scores and analysis: Lachlan Galvin debuts for Bulldogs against Parramatta Eels

News.com.au

08-06-2025

Hey, Lachlan Galvin, here's the recipe for success to be an elite Canterbury half, from a premiership-winning one.
'When you're a Bulldog, it's a team first mentality … care about each other and prioritise the guy next to you more so than yourself. You'd do anything for the guy next to you.'
That's the advice from Braith Anasta, who played five-eighth in Canterbury's last premiership-winning team in 2004, to former Tiger-turned-Bulldog Galvin.
It was the mantra an 18-year-old Anasta adopted when he arrived in Belmore in 2000, which led him to a drought breaking grand final in the halves for the Dogs four years later.
Now the fresh faced 19-year-old Galvin has the chance to do the same.
'For Lachie, if he buys into the culture and buys into the systematic way in which they're playing, doesn't try and overcomplicate things and really believes in the process and the coach, who's doing incredible things, then he won't have a problem,' he said.
'He'll fit in like a glove.'
Anasta is glad Ciraldo has chosen to 'rip the band-aid off' and name Galvin straight for the King's Birthday clash on Fox League and Kayo against the Eels, the side the youngster ironically almost signed for.
Parramatta will be out to show Galvin what he missed out on, the chance to play with one of the game's best playmakers in Mitchell Moses.
But at Canterbury Anasta says Galvin will have the opportunity to make the No.7 jersey his own.
'They'd see him moving into the seven and Burton six, less disruption, and then kind of teaching Lachie the ways, the systems, the defensive patterns and getting his style more and getting it wrapped around his head,' Anasta said.
But as much as the ex-Canterbury playmaker is thrilled by Galvin's arrival, the NRL 360 host can't help but put himself in the shoes of current halfback Toby Sexton who would feel been hard done by.
'He doesn't really deserve to be in this situation given how well he's played this year and where the dogs are coming.
'I feel sorry for him, but it's also a good opportunity and challenge for him at the same time.'
Anasta, also a player agent to several halfbacks, says the highs for Galvin and lows of Sexton is just the reality of the rollercoaster that is rugby league.
'I've got Cameron Munster who's flying and playing Origin and playing great for Melbourne, and then I've got poor Lachie (Ilias) who's in a tough situation there with the Dragons trying to fight his way back in the first grade,' Anasta said.
'I know how emotionally tough it can be and the challenge that does present to these guys, so that's why I can really relate to Toby but at the same time I can relate to Lachie (Galvin) as well, a great opportunity, he's a young gun, he burst onto the scene, got all the clubs after him. He can go wherever he wants and he deserves that because he's put himself in that position.'
Despite the Bulldogs and the Eels sitting at complete opposite ends of the ladder and Parramatta desperate for a win, Anasta says there's more riding on the game for the competition leaders.
'If the Dogs do come out now and lose one, two in a row, then the drums will start beating and we've all seen the external pressures of the media and fans and they don't want that,' he said.
'They want to come out, put a good performance in, get the win and they can move on from everything even quicker. It'd be probably a relief for them given the attention that this has received.'