Lachlan Galvin sets up match winning try as Bulldogs win 20-18 over Dragons

Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo’s decision to hand Lachlan Galvin the No.7 jersey has paid off, as he delivered the match winning play to hand the Dragons another heartbreaking defeat.

With just one moment Lachie Galvin justified his selection into the starting side.

The Bulldogs were on the back foot and looked helpless with a shocking second half.

Enter Galvin. With the game on the line and with his side trailing by two points Galvin threw a Sam Walker-like Harbour Bridge cut out pass to send winger Jethro Rinakama for the match winner with less than two minutes left into the game.

“It was great for him to own that moment,” said Bulldogs five-eighth Matt Burton. “He is only young and just getting started but he is a talented player.”

Before that though were going to be plenty of questions for the Bulldogs given Toby Sexton’s axing in the lead-up to the game against the Dragons.

But that pass was enough for Galvin to win the game.

In his first game in the No.7 jersey for the Bulldogs, Lachlan Galvin set up the match winning try for Canterbury. Picture: Getty Images

Like the rest of his Canterbury teammates he had a solid first half but had little impact in the second half until the dying stages as his side struggled to build any momentum.

The first half produced some good moments. He was part of a wide shift to help lay on Canterbury’s first try to Jacob Kiraz.

His boot produced a goal-line drop-out off the back of a well-timed grubber.

Galvin scored a try in the 23rd minute when he supported Stephen Crichton who did all the hard-work with Galvin putting himself in a good position to score.

Defensively Galvin was solid as he marked up next to Crichton.

The move will be a work in progress but in the end with the game on the line Galvin stepped up when it mattered most.

Jethro Rinakama scores the match-winner! 🤯

Telstra Moment of the Match pic.twitter.com/Q3rYHsSHgT

— NRL (@NRL) July 19, 2025

GALVIN GAMBLE PAYS OFF AS BULLDOGS DENY DRAGONS AT THE DEATH

—Martin Gabor

Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo has described Lachlan Galvin’s match-winning play as one of the “bravest” passes he’s ever seen as Canterbury’s new halfback delivered a fairytale ending to steal victory with two minutes remaining.

There’ll be plenty of time spent in the casino when the Bulldogs play the Dragons in Las Vegas next year, but Ciraldo had an early victory with his gamble to put Galvin at halfback paying off deluxe on Saturday night.

The 20-18 win keeps the Bulldogs firmly entrenched in the top four, with Galvin’s performance in the famous No.7 jersey exactly what his coach wanted to see in the run to the finals.

Bulldogs players embrace Galvin after he set up the match winning try. Picture: Getty Images

Galvin’s position in the side and how Ciraldo used him have been the biggest talking points ever since he joined the club from the Wests Tigers, with the debate now seemingly over after he delivered the clutch play with two minutes to go.

The Bulldogs looked gone trailing by two points and struggling to conjure anything in attack, only for Galvin to lure Tyrell Sloan in and throw a peach of a pass over his head to set up Jethro Rinakama for the winner.

“I was pretty happy with it, it was a good pass,” Ciraldo joked.

“To make that play at the end, it’s possibly one of the bravest passes I’ve seen.

“We all know he’s had pressure on him, so I can’t rap him enough for how well he’s handled it.

“To trust his instincts and to trust himself to make that plays just shows everyone what we’ve been seeing at training for the last six weeks.”

While Toby Sexton performed strongly in NSW Cup, this is now Galvin’s team and he controlled the game well in a busy first half that saw him force a repeat set and put Viliame Kikau over, only for the big back-rower to be held up.

But there would be no denying Galvin who backed up a big bust by skipper Stephen Crichton to score his second try for the club.

It’ll still take time for him to develop a combination with Matt Burton, but the signs were encouraging with fellow spine member Reed Mahoney burrowing over before he was taken off with 15 minutes to go.

ON THE RIGHT PATH

They don’t hand out competition points for bravery, but this was as gutsy as it gets from the Dragons who were out on their feet in the first half but stormed home to hit the lead with two tries in four minutes.

The Red V have lost so many players to serious injuries this year, with Origin star Valentine Holmes the latest to join the overflowing casualty ward.

But they didn’t use it as an excuse with their right edge causing all sorts of headaches with Sloan scoring in the first half before powerhouse Moses Suli barged over.

Tyrell Sloan scored one try for the Dragons and was unlucky not to have another. Picture: Getty Images

Sloan was unlucky not to have another after he was penalised for a push while chasing a kick, while he also made a big break in the second half but couldn’t win the race to the loose ball.

There were some poor kicks they’d like to have again but the passing to the edges was crisp with Kyle Flanagan and Clint Gutherson combining for three assists.

It was Gutherson’s long ball that set up Sione Finau for the try that tied things up, with Flanagan nailing the sideline conversion as the luckless winger was helped off with a dislocated shoulder.

The Dragons fought valiantly with some astonishing goal-line defence, with Jaydn Su’A smashing anyone foolish enough to run at him.

But they just couldn’t hold on long enough to leave their finals hopes hanging by a thread.

DOG DRAMAS

The Bulldogs picked up the points but they have a few concerns with Jacob Kiraz (lifting tackle) and Max King (crusher tackle) both placed on report.

Sitili Tupouniua is also facing a stint on the sidelines after he injured his hamstring in his first game back after a lengthy layoff.

Originally published as Lachlan Galvin sets up match winning try as Bulldogs win 20-18 over Dragons