Galvin Shines on Debut as Blues Make Key Origin Changes
What a wild and eventful weekend in the world of NRL! Let’s start with what everyone’s been talking about: Lachie Galvin. The much-hyped young recruit didn’t just meet expectations—he absolutely smashed them. Making his debut for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs on King's Birthday, Galvin lit up the stadium with a try that electrified nearly 60,000 fans at Sydney Olympic Park. That’s right, it was the second-biggest crowd for a regular-season NRL game ever. Talk about pressure—and wow, did he deliver.
Coming off the bench at the 60-minute mark with the game tightly balanced at 14-12, Galvin jumped in at half-back and wasted no time making an impact. With sharp passing, confident kicks, and a decisive try, he justified every bit of the Bulldogs’ efforts to bring him in. And yes, it probably stung a bit for the Eels, who were also chasing his signature.
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Toby Sexton made way for Galvin, moving to hooker after Reed Mahoney was subbed out. It was a glimpse into how head coach Cameron Ciraldo might integrate Galvin into a squad already gunning for the premiership. And based on how seamlessly Galvin fit in, it’s safe to say the Bulldogs have another serious weapon in their arsenal.
The game itself was a fast-paced, hard-hitting contest. Marcelo Montoya and Harry Hayes both crossed the line, and when Galvin scored his debut try—off a brilliant offload from Jacob Kiraz—the crowd erupted. The Bulldogs stormed to a 30-12 win over the Eels, who, despite showing signs of improvement, just couldn’t match the second-half intensity of the Dogs.
On the Origin front, big news from Laurie Daley and the Blues camp. For Game II in Perth, three changes were made to the New South Wales squad. Injuries forced Daley’s hand, but he’s brought in Stefano Utoikamanu to replace Mitch Barnett, with Max King elevated to the starting prop role. Matt Burton, Lindsay Smith, and Keaon Koloamatangi round out the extended squad. Dylan Edwards, Brian To’o, Latrell Mitchell, and Nathan Cleary are all in, and it’s a lineup packed with firepower.
Meanwhile, the Maroons made their own bold move by dropping Game I captain Daly Cherry-Evans and bringing in Tom Dearden at halfback. The Origin series is heating up, and all eyes now turn to Game II.
As for the Eels, things took a turn with Dylan Brown—he’s been charged with grade two contrary conduct for knocking over the referee during a kick chase. If he takes the early plea, he’ll miss the Round 16 clash against the Titans. Try to fight it and fail? He’s out for Round 17 too.
All in all, it’s been a massive few days for the NRL, with breakout performances, strategic Origin shifts, and a debut from Galvin that has fans already calling him the future of the game.
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