Lachlan Galvin drops massive hint about next NRL club in shock act against Wests Tigers

Tigers fans are sure to be furious at star five eighth Lachlan Galvin after he made it clear which club he wants to play for, and it’s not the Tigers.

The Eels were hanging their hopes on Dylan Brown being their long-term No. 6, but after news of him leaving to join the Knights at the end of the year, they have seemingly been handed a perfect replacement on a silver platter, Lachlan Galvin.

Tigers playmaker Galvin is set to head to free agency, with sports reporter Michael Chammas reporting the 19-year-old and his agent Isaac Moses continue to shut down the joint venture’s attempts to lock him into a long-term deal, instead planning to test his value on the open market come November 1.

“Lachie Galvin is in no rush to commit to the Wests Tigers and management is out there basically letting it be known to every club, ‘Get your chequebook ready because we’re hitting November 1’,” Chammas said on 100% Footy on Monday night.

“ … I imagine there’ll be plenty of suitors lining up with that chequebook.”

Galvin is said to be earning $250,000 this year with his salary reportedly set to be budged up to $350,000 in 2026.

Lachlan Galvin is set to test his value in free agency. (Photo by James Gourley/Getty Images)

And on Tuesday, Galvin appeared to show his hand on where he would ideally like to go, liking an Instagram comment calling for him to return to the Eels.

On a recent Instagram post by the five-eighth, one Eels fan wrote: “We love you, bro. It’s time to come home. You are meant to be written in Parra Eels history. The first 6 to end the premiership drought. You know it’s embedded deep in your soul. Come home, king.”

It was a rather desperate plea from an Eels fan clearly hurting from the announcement Brown had signed a 10-year $13m deal to join the Knights, but Galvin liked the comment, sparking rumours it could be his preferred destination. And it makes sense.

Galvin is a Parramatta kid and grew up supporting the Eels.

Plus with Brown’s $1.1m contract off the books, they have a lot of wiggle room in their salary cap.

Galvin liked a comment linking him to the Eels.

Galvin is set for a huge payrise in his next deal. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

Galvin is said to be earning $250,000 this year, with his salary reportedly set to be $350,000 in 2026.

However, his next deal likely would see him command upwards of $500,000 and potentially even closer to $1 million given the lack of quality halves available.

On Monday, Phil Rothfield said on NRL360 that he can see the Eels making a similar offer to Galvin that Newcastle made to Brown, one that is too good to turn down.

 “I would be offering Galvin a Newcastle-type contract,” Rothfield said.

“People like Phil Gould are on record as saying that guy will win Premierships, he is a very, very special player.

“And I know he didn’t show it necessarily against Newcastle the other night, but I think he’s closer to a million-dollar-plus player than Dylan Brown.”