The Bulldogs overcame a contentious sin bin and the plucky Eels to hand Lachlan Galvin a dream debut

It was a classic clash between bitter rivals the Bulldogs and Eels on holiday Monday, punctuated by a contentious sin bin and mid-season recruit Lachlan Galvin’s first try for the club.

Canterbury and Parramatta have played out a holiday Monday classic fit for a King and the Bulldogs crowned their new prince with mid-season transfer Lachlan Galvin scoring a match-sealing late try.

The clash had everything with the teams trading tries in the first half, before the Bulldogs ensured they’d return to the head of the NRL ladder with a clinical 30-12 win at a wet but heaving Accor Stadium, packed with almost 60,000 fans.

The Bulldogs, coming of a bye and a thrashing at the hands of the Dolphins in the past fortnight, welcomed back their State of Origin trio of Stephen Crichton, Max King and Kurt Mann, along with Jacob Kiraz (calf) and prop Daniel Suluka-Fifita (concussion) and they were a different team altogether today.

All the talk leading into the game centred around the role Galvin would play, but it was another Bulldogs half that stole the show, with Matt Burton terrorising the Eels right side defence.

The Dogs’ five eighth had plenty of help with no less than five Canterbury players – Connor Tracey, Jacob Kiraz, Marcelo Montoya, Max King and Harry Hayes running for more than 200 metres.

The game started at a frantic pace with Burton plucking a Ryley Smith pass from the air and bolting 60 metres to score the opening try for the Dogs in the eighth minute.

It took only three minutes for the Eels to reply when Zac Lomax knocked a Burton pass up for himself before offloading to Mitch Moses to sprint 80 metres and level the scores.

Montoya scored on 20 minutes for the Bulldogs, Dylan Walker returning serve for the Eels with just three minutes left in what was an enthralling first half after Viliame Kikau found himself in the sin bin following a careless take-down of a midair, mid-kick Moses.

Kikau made amends midway through the second half, running off a brilliant pass from Connor Tracey to touchdown, before Hayes and Galvin both scored.

Viliame Kikau was sin binned. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

For their part, the Eels showed the continued growth in their resilience in defence, but it wasn’t enough in the second half.

Next up the Dogs face the Rabbitohs on Sunday without their Origin stars, while the Eels have a bye.

Galvin cameo

Galvin started from the interchange bench, coming into the cauldron 17 minutes into the second half and lining up as the right side half, forcing Toby Sexton into dummy half.

Lachlan Galvin celebrates his try. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

The 19-year-old prodigy looked assured in defence and confident in attack, linking inside with Burton and outside with Crichton.

He was belted at one stage by Kitione Kautoga but bounced straight back up unperturbed and later scored a neat try.

As impressive as Galvin was in his cameo, equally so was Sexton in the unfamiliar hooking role.

Origin watch

The Bulldogs’ NSW pair Crichton and King, along with Eels duo Moses and Lomax all came through the game unscathed and are good to go for Laurie Daley’s Blues in Origin II on June 18 in Perth.

Queenslander Kurt Mann started from the bench today but was in everything once he got onto the field and with the axing of Daly Cherry-Evans and elevation of Tom Dearden, could well find himself in the Maroons 17 as Billy Slater’s bench utility.

Connor Tracey played his 100th game. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

TRACEY TON

On a weekend of player milestones, Bulldogs’ fullback Tracey celebrated a record of his own, playing his 100th NRL game.

Tracey was given the honour of leading the Bulldogs onto the field and was typically industrious, piling up 240 run metres and setting Kikau up for his try.

After making his debut for Souths in 2019, where he played just two games, Tracey racked up 64 at the Sharks and now 34 with the Dogs – a remarkable feat considering he has fought back from three knee reconstructions.

TACKLING CLONES

Former Eel, now Bulldog, Reed Mahoney, and his Parramatta clone Ryley Smith tackled themselves to a standstill in the middle of the field.

The pair, who bear an uncanny resemblance with their headgear, stature and grit, combined for 100 tackles – 42 for Mahoney and an incredible 58 for Smith.

Originally published as The Bulldogs overcame a contentious sin bin and the plucky Eels to hand Lachlan Galvin a dream debut