The Tackle: Polarising Bulldogs recruit Lachlan Galvin finds form ahead of Wests Tigers grudge match
After some teething issues at Belmore, Lachlan Galvin is starting to find form in Canterbury’s No.7 just in time for the most anticipated game of the season. THE TACKLE.
NRL
Don't miss out on the headlines from NRL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Canterbury’s Lachlan Galvin will go into the biggest grudge match of the year armed with a halves partner at the top of his game in five-eighth Matt Burton. Galvin walked out on the Tigers in a bitter break-up almost two months ago to join the premiership contenders.
On Sunday, Galvin will face his old club for the first time and there’s likely to be little love lost between the sides.
After some teething issues at Belmore, Galvin was handed the No.7 jumper for Canterbury’s march towards the finals.
The 20-year old held his own in Sunday’s 42-4 win over Manly, outgunning his opposite veteran halfback Daly Cherry-Evans.
Galvin finished with a line break, five tackle busts and 67 metres from seven runs.
The biggest positive was Galvin’s patience and the fact he didn’t overplay his hand.
He had no reason to, given Burton’s red hot form at the moment in the No.6 jumper.
Burton was at his best as a running threat shooting the lights out with a dominant performance, which included eight tackle busts, two line breaks, one linebreak assist and a huge 206 run metres.
It sets up a tantalising halves shootout between the under fire Jarome Luai and his young cub Latu Fainu and Canterbury’s shiny new combination.
Two points will help get Canterbury closer to a top two finish and the Tigers further away from the bottom of the ladder.
But one gets the feeling the showdown will be less about the two competition points - and that pride, bragging rights and egos will be what is really at stake on Sunday.
ROUND 21 DISLIKES
SAINTS’ SORRY DEFENCE
After going toe-to-toe with Canterbury, the Dragons’ defence crumbled against the Cowboys on the weekend.
The Cowboys cut through the Dragons’ middle like a hot knife in butter in the first half.
Zac Laybutt left David Klemmer and Jack de Belin clutching at thin air for the first try and the Red V line offered little resistance against a Coen Hess charge for a four-pointer.
Star halfback Tom Dearden tore the Dragons’ left edge apart, bamboozling rookie five-eighth Lyhkan King-Togia all night long in the 38-32 win.
The Dragons finished with a flurry of second-half tries but the damage done on the back of soft defence cost them a crucial two points.
There could be more pain this week against the Raiders, who have scored the third-most points this year.
SHARK ATTACK
A resurgent Cronulla were supposed to blow an injury-ravaged South Sydney off the park.
Maybe Craig Fitzgibbon’s men believed their own hype.
Cronulla had over 70 percent of the territory, had all the go forward, had a one-man advantage when Wighton was sent to the bin, won the penalty count 10-2 and had 62 tackles in the Rabbitohs red zone but came away with a measly two tries.
Instead, the Sharks scraped home with a 14-12 unconvincing victory.
The seventh placed Sharks will face only one other top eight side on their run home - Canterbury in Round 27.
If they can’t find that killer instinct on that soft run home, the Sharks will be cannon fodder in the finals.
This week the Sharks’ finals credentials will be tested by a Cowboys side with everything to play for.
BENNETT SPOON DREAD
Wayne Bennett didn’t want to entertain a question about South Sydney’s wooden spoon battle but he will be hard pressed to avoid the question in coming weeks after the Rabbitohs slumped to last on the ladder heading into round 22.
The master coach is staring down the barrel of his first wooden spoon as an injury-ravaged Rabbitohs crawl to the finish line.
A wooden spoon would be a bitter pill to swallow for Bennett given the effort the Rabbitohs have played with all year, which was on full display against the Sharks.
In their 13 losses, the Rabbitohs have only been blown off the park twice, against Canterbury and the Dolphins.
All of which will be cold comfort for Rabbitohs fans who expected to be right in the finals mix with Bennett back.
It doesn’t get any easier this week against Brisbane without Tavita Tatola (shoulder) and Jack Wighton, who is facing a three-week ban for a shoulder charge.
ROUND 21 LIKES
EELS REVEAL BRONCOS BLUEPRINT
Rookie Parramatta coach Jason Ryles has the blueprint to sinking the Broncos.
If Brisbane’s so-called soft underbelly can be exposed, then Michael Maguire’s men can be rolled.
In recent seasons Brisbane has garnered a reputation for being unwilling to grind out a win.
When the blow torch is applied the star-studded outfit starts looking for short cuts, and the big play, rather than getting in the trenches with their opposition.
Ryles’ game plan to take down Brisbane banked on old habits dying hard – it worked.
Parramatta came with a clear tactic – kick the Broncos into submission.
Mitchell Moses’ kicks, whether on the last or 4th tackle deep into Brisbane territory, came with an enthusiastic kick-chase.
Parramatta’s kicking game not only turned around Brisbane’s forwards but forced them into one-out carries.
That limited the Broncos’ ball movement and in turn blunted their attack.
Frustrated, Brisbane pushed passes rather than relying on patience.
But Ryles also had the answer for superstar fullback Reece Walsh.
Walsh failed to contest the kick that led to Sean Russell’s try in the first half.
He then simply refused to take on the Parramatta defence at one-point, simply flopping to the floor for a voluntary tackle.
“I think Parramatta has shown a blueprint of how to attack Reece Walsh on the kick chase,” Cooper Cronk said on Fox League.
“Kick early, isolate him and just get your chasers down there and ready to be physical. Reece Walsh should have taken down on the Parramatta defence.
“But he just surrendered.”
It was just another indictment of the Broncos’ unwillingness to take on the contest at different stages.
Parramatta’s upset win won the Eels plenty of admirers but put Brisbane’s finals hopes in the balance.
The Broncos need to win at least three more games to lock in a spot in the top eight.
Brisbane should have too much strike for a depleted South Sydney outfit this week, but a Rabbitohs side that won’t simply fold before tough clashes against the Dolphins then Melbourne.
Skipper Adam Reynolds has pledged to reign in Walsh and help his side find the composure and patience it clearly lacks.
Brisbane’s finals hopes are dependent on it.
RIGHT EELS CALL
It’s not every day a coach is praised for parking $800,000 on the sideline but Ryles’ brave call to bench Dylan Brown is the right one for Parramatta’s future.
Many thought the injury to fullback Isaiah Iongi would earn Brown a recall and Joash Papalii would be shifted to the back.
Instead, Ryles put his faith in Dean Hawkins, who will be at the club in 2026, alongside halfback Moses.
While Moses stole the show in his return from a foot injury, Hawkins repaid the faith Ryles had shown in him.
Parramatta is improving across the park, from veterans Josh Addo-Carr and Junior Paulo to rookies Charlie Guymer and Ryley Smith.
It’s a sure sign the players are buying into Ryles’ rebuild of the powerhouse club.
The Eels are in a battle to avoid the spoon and their run home includes the Storm, Cowboys, Roosters and Warriors.
Fans will be heartened by the positive signs and even let themselves dream that Parramatta has the ingredients to push for a final berth in 2026.
CLEARY JETTING OFF
New Zealand’s shock loss to cellar-dwellers the Titans left Warriors fans with a sour taste in their mouths.
There was a silver lining for the Wahs at Go Media Stadium on Saturday – the development of Jett Cleary.
Cleary moved to the Warriors in a bid to shield himself from the spotlight he would be under in Sydney as the younger brother of Penrith champion Nathan Cleary and son of coach Ivan Cleary.
But his rising star shone brightly in the Warriors’ 68-6 win over the Rabbitohs in NSW Cup.
The 20-year old halfback ran rings around South Sydney. His full arsenal of attacking prowess was on display, from his passing game to his running threat and kicking.
WATCH: Jett Cleary was electric today. Here’s a look at his highlights from the Warriors NSW Cup side’s dominant 68–6 win over the Rabbitohs.
— NRLCentral (@centralNRL) July 26, 2025
(The Shortball) pic.twitter.com/yOAqYjY8hH
MADGE’S ECSTACY AND AGONY
The emotional rollercoaster of NRL coaching was on full display at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night.
Michael Maguire thought he had had the last laugh against Parramatta.
Reece Walsh had just appeared to have scored a try at the death to give the Broncos victory on the buzzer.
The cameras panned to a clearly relieved Maguire, who had a grin from ear to ear.
Except it wasn’t the game winner and Walsh was denied for being offside.
As the camera went back to Maguire, his face was laced with agony.
In the other coaches’ box was Parramatta’s Jason Ryles. His expression? Shellshocked.
TIGERS SPINE
After a five-week lay off, fullback Jahream Bula (hamstring) is set to return for the Tigers against Canterbury, and it will be Benji Marshall’s first look at the side’s spine into the future.
Sunday’s clash will also be the first time the Tigers take on Lachlan Galvin since his bitter exit two months ago.
But Marshall has bigger issues than a Galvin grudge match to contend with, as the Tigers attempt to avoid another wooden spoon.
Canterbury, like Penrith, are just as capable of strangling the Tigers out of the contest.
The Tigers’ attack was clunky in the field-goal win over the Titans and failed to fire a shot against the Panthers.
Rookie playmaker Latu Fainu seemed to pay the price. After he was shifted in lock for Adam Doueihi in the halves, the youngster was then benched in the final 15 minutes.
Marshall insists Fainu is the long-term no.7.
His first choice spine of Bula, Fainu, Jarome Luai and Api Koroisau will get no greater test than the Bulldogs this week.
Originally published as The Tackle: Polarising Bulldogs recruit Lachlan Galvin finds form ahead of Wests Tigers grudge match
Join the conversation
Buy, Hold, Sell: Haumole and Hughes injuries rock SuperCoach
The injuries keep coming for SuperCoaches with just one more week until the start of head-to-head finals. Here are the players to target and avoid.
Read more
Watch: Bulldogs star’s face sliced open by teammate’s boots
Bulldogs centre Bronson Xerri was forced from the field against the Sea Eagles after having his nose broken in an ugly case of friendly fire. WATCH the incident here.
Read more