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The Australian
15-07-2025
- Sport
- The Australian
NRL 2025: Lachlan Galvin set to play halfback for the Bulldogs
The Bulldogs are confident Lachlan Galvin has enough time to forge a potent halves combination with Matt Burton following confirmation that the mid-season recruit will make his first start at halfback for the club on Saturday night. The intrigue around Galvin's role in the team and how that's affected other players in the spine has been a major talking point ever since he arrived at Belmore. It hasn't helped that he's started two games at five-eighth and two on the bench, while Galvin – who turned 20 this week – was dropped from the 17 last week after initially being named on the bench for the match against the Cowboys. But the No.7 jersey is now his with Toby Sexton dropped from the halves for the game against the Dragons. It'll give Galvin two months to build his combination with Burton, who came up with some big plays in attack to help them sneak past the Cowboys. Lachlan Galvin was left off the bench for the Bulldogs last week, but he will start on Saturday at halfback. Picture:'It's up to the boys getting around him and giving him the confidence to do what he does best, and that's just play footy,' Bulldogs utility Jaeman Salmon said. 'The game will come if he plays his normal game, and we just have to give him the confidence to do that. 'We've still got a third of the season left and I think that's enough time to build a combination leading into the finals. 'As long as we all get around him, I'm sure he'll be fine.' Salmon said coach Cameron Ciraldo made the announcement at a 'stock standard' team meeting on Tuesday morning and the obsession around Canterbury's spine wasn't a factor internally. 'I think that's what the media portrayed. You guys have been waiting for it, but in here, we haven't been waiting for anything,' he said. 'Whoever the best player to do that job is going to play that position, and that's with all our positions. 'No one is ever safe. Whatever pick has been made is what's best for the team. Galvin has two months to work on his combinations before the finals start. Picture: NRL Photos 'Toby is a good mate of all of ours, but that's just part of the game. It's hard for him but we're all going to be there to support him. 'You wouldn't have even noticed that there's been stuff going on in the media about Lachie. 'He's just a young kid who wants to play footy. He's been handling it really well. He just wants to learn, and that's why we like him. He's just been a sponge since he got here and he just wants to soak it all up.' Edge forward Jacob Preston said he felt for Sexton and was confident that he and Galvin would gel on the right side in attack. The Bulldogs haven't been at their clinical best in attack since Galvin arrived, but the end of the State of Origin period should help as they spend the next eight weeks ensuring they're in the best position to contend for a title. 'Ever since he got here, we've been doing work. And we work all different halves,' Preston said. 'If we've ever had to change sides as well, we're making sure we get that done as well. The combinations are ready to go. ''Galvo' is incredibly talented, so he can create plenty of opportunities and we just have to react to that.'
News.com.au
15-07-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
‘No one is ever safe': Lachlan Galvin mystery finally solved with the Bulldogs recruit to replace Toby Sexton at halfback
The Bulldogs are confident Lachlan Galvin has enough time to forge a potent halves combination with Matt Burton following confirmation that the mid-season recruit will make his first start at halfback for the club on Saturday night. The intrigue around Galvin's role in the team and how that's affected other players in the spine has been a major talking point ever since he arrived at Belmore. It hasn't helped that he's started two games at five-eighth and two on the bench, while Galvin – who turned 20 this week – was dropped from the 17 last week after initially being named on the bench for the match against the Cowboys. But the No.7 jersey is now his with Toby Sexton dropped from the halves for the game against the Dragons. It'll give Galvin two months to build his combination with Burton, who came up with some big plays in attack to help them sneak past the Cowboys. 'It's up to the boys getting around him and giving him the confidence to do what he does best, and that's just play footy,' Bulldogs utility Jaeman Salmon said. 'The game will come if he plays his normal game, and we just have to give him the confidence to do that. 'We've still got a third of the season left and I think that's enough time to build a combination leading into the finals. 'As long as we all get around him, I'm sure he'll be fine.' Salmon said coach Cameron Ciraldo made the announcement at a 'stock standard' team meeting on Tuesday morning and the obsession around Canterbury's spine wasn't a factor internally. 'I think that's what the media portrayed. You guys have been waiting for it, but in here, we haven't been waiting for anything,' he said. 'Whoever the best player to do that job is going to play that position, and that's with all our positions. 'No one is ever safe. Whatever pick has been made is what's best for the team. 'Toby is a good mate of all of ours, but that's just part of the game. It's hard for him but we're all going to be there to support him. 'You wouldn't have even noticed that there's been stuff going on in the media about Lachie. 'He's just a young kid who wants to play footy. He's been handling it really well. He just wants to learn, and that's why we like him. He's just been a sponge since he got here and he just wants to soak it all up.' Edge forward Jacob Preston said he felt for Sexton and was confident that he and Galvin would gel on the right side in attack. The Bulldogs haven't been at their clinical best in attack since Galvin arrived, but the end of the State of Origin period should help as they spend the next eight weeks ensuring they're in the best position to contend for a title. 'Ever since he got here, we've been doing work. And we work all different halves,' Preston said. 'If we've ever had to change sides as well, we're making sure we get that done as well. The combinations are ready to go. ''Galvo' is incredibly talented, so he can create plenty of opportunities and we just have to react to that.'
Yahoo
12-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Brave Bulldogs pip Cowboys without Galvin
Canterbury have displayed true grit and fight to outlast resolute North Queensland 12-8 in an old-fashioned war of attrition in Townsville. Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo pulled a masterstroke by leaving playmaker Lachlan Galvin off the bench to boost his forward stocks. The visitors omitted Galvin and included forward Kurtis Morrin on the bench to give them forward depth with NSW prop Max King backing up from State of Origin. Morrin was superb, as were big guns Matt Burton, Viliame Kikau and Reed Mahoney. The win entrenched Canterbury in the top four after two straight losses. The second half was scoreless and went right down to the final play when Bulldogs winger Jacob Kiraz tapped a Tom Dearden kick dead. Canterbury rested State of Origin representatives Stephen Crichton and Kurt Mann and gave winger Jethro Rinakama his NRL debut. Rinakama was superb and scored late in the first half after great work on the inside by Burton to give his side a 12-8 lead at halftime. There was huge drama in the 59th minute when Burton and Morrin both went off for HIAs. In the ensuing minutes Cowboys fullback Scott Drinkwater lost the ball in the process of scoring with Bulldogs star Viliame Kikau knocking the ball loose with a desperate tackle against his former club. Burton and Morrin both returned and helped their side hang on. Jethro Rinakama on DEBUT! 🦾 — NRL (@NRL) July 12, 2025 Canterbury were clunky in attack early but that was a tribute to the hosts' best defensive mentality of the season. North Queensland centre Zac Laybutt, who had an ACL injury last year, stepped his way with great confidence to score the opening try. Burton, back in his favoured No.6 position, laid on a try for back-rower Jacob Preston with a deft kick late in the half before Rinakama gave them the lead. Mahoney tackled like a demon against the club he will join next year. Cowboys co-captain Dearden, after winning the Wally Lewis Medal as player of the series for Queensland in State of Origin, was dominant and involved early in attack and defence. The Bulldogs were not at their best but they are past masters at winning ugly. The Cowboys, on 17 points and three wins outside the top eight, are in danger of missing the finals.
News.com.au
04-07-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
‘I'm filthy': Cameron Ciraldo says the Bulldogs haven't reached their attacking potential as Lachlan Galvin fails to fire in the halves
A frustrated Cameron Ciraldo admits his side hasn't reached its attacking potential yet this season, with the Bulldogs coach disappointed in how his team handled the second half on Friday night as the Broncos stormed home to beat them 22-18. The Bulldogs led 18-0 in the second half but conceded the final four tries as a new-look backline failed to fire the premiership fancies with the game on the line. All eyes were on mid-season recruit Lachlan Galvin who was initially named on the bench but started at five-eighth alongside Toby Sexton, with Matt Burton switching to centre given they had Stephen Crichton and Jacob Kiraz away on Origin duty. Galvin set up a try with his right boot but made two errors and didn't gel well with his teammates on the left edge in what was his second start since leaving the Wests Tigers. Canterbury's attack is an easy focus given they were leading the league before Galvin arrived, with the next two months set to determine what their spine looks like heading into the finals. 'I don't think our attack has reached its potential all year, so we're searching for that, as most clubs are,' Ciraldo said. 'We're searching for what works. We've had a lot of turnover with different back-rowers and things like that so we're still searching. 'We've got nine or 10 weeks to go to figure that out, but you've got to learn your lessons quickly. We didn't learn ours from last week and take those into tonight.' While the halves conundrum will dominate the headlines for the rest of the season, Ciraldo doesn't have to worry about being asked questions about Sexton's future after the halfback signed a deal to play for Catalans. Sexton joined the club midway through the 2023 season and has done a fine job in the halves, but his role became a major talking point once Galvin signed. 'He came and saw me last night (Thursday) and told me about it,' Ciraldo said. 'It's really good for him and his family and I'm stoked for him because he's worked really hard. 'He was playing for Tweed Heads a couple of years ago and came down to the Bulldogs to get an opportunity. 'He had to bide his time at the start and then got his opportunity, and he's done really well. 'It's a great opportunity for him over there, but he was really clear that he's not thinking about that right now. He's thinking about how we get better at the back end of the season, and that's what we're all thinking.' Ciraldo has a week to decide who he should pick in the halves for their next game, with the coach disappointed in his side's second-half performance after failing to learn lessons from last week's loss to Penrith. 'I haven't thought too far past that game. We've got to go back and review that,' he said. 'There was a lot to like about what we did in the first half, but there are some lessons there. I'm filthy that we didn't learn our lessons from last week. 'We had to stand up and be better this week than what we were last week in those areas that we practised all week, but we weren't. 'I thought we were trying to force it too much. 'I thought the Broncos were defending really well at the start of the second half and we earned some possession, but we had to keep asking questions and play the field position game. 'We didn't, we tried to force it and it probably played into their hands.'
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Why Lachlan Galvin doubts won't faze Bulldogs coach
Cameron Ciraldo says the people doubting his plans for Lachlan Galvin are likely the same who questioned Canterbury's rebuild and their previous recruitments. Now, the Bulldogs are flying high in second place on the NRL ladder. Prized mid-season signing Galvin has been named on the bench to face Brisbane on Friday, the third time he'll come on from the interchange in four appearances since joining from Wests Tigers. In the previous two, Galvin was substituted in after half-time to play limited minutes next to Matt Burton in the halves, pushing journeyman halfback Toby Sexton to hooker. Ciraldo has previously suggested he has "plan A, plan B and plan C" for using Galvin, whose large frame and speed make him an option for multiple positions. But pundits have questioned whether the Bulldogs are still deliberating how best to incorporate generational talent Galvin into their premiership tilt. Ciraldo says he doesn't care, intimating that history has shown the doubters will be proven wrong. Canterbury and Ciraldo memorably raised eyebrows recruiting a handful of utility players ahead of the 2024 season, rather than prioritising beefing up their lightweight middle forward rotation. But the additions of Kurt Mann, Connor Tracey, Josh Curran and Jaeman Salmon all proved shrewd as the Bulldogs booked their first finals appearance since 2016. "It's probably the same voices who are doubting what we did now who doubted our recruitment strategy, doubted our forward pack and doubted a lot of other things we did along the way," Ciraldo said. "At the end of the day, how we play towards the back-end of the season, everyone will have an opinion on that. "But we're really comfortable with what we're doing now and how our team is evolving." Ciraldo insisted the Bulldogs were unified as to their plans to use both Galvin and off-contract Sexton, who has quietly pieced together the best season of his NRL career. "We all on the same page and I've got a number of good people around me whose opinions I trust inside our four walls, and we'll continue to do that," Ciraldo said. The Bulldogs and Broncos will collectively be without eight State of Origin representatives on Friday night when Canterbury fight to redeem themselves for the sides' last clash. Brisbane rode a 34-0 half-time lead to a 42-18 drubbing of the Bulldogs, the first of three losses this year for Ciraldo's men. The round-eight defeat has been revisited in the lead-up to the match at Accor Stadium. "We definitely can't start the way we did and we can't play as individuals," Ciraldo said. "It's not too many times this year that we've gone out and played like individuals but in the first half of that game we certainly did. I really don't want to see that again."
