Galvin’s NRL Future Set to Be Decided Amid $2M Snub of Wests Tigers
Lachlan Galvin’s future in the NRL may be resolved as soon as this weekend, with the young Wests Tigers star pushing for an exit despite having one year left on his contract.
Former Broncos coach Kevin Walters has backed a move to Parramatta as the best option for Galvin, while former Bulldog Michael Ennis has highlighted the dramatic nature of the saga—particularly Galvin’s apparent willingness to walk away from a $2 million advantage just to leave the Tigers, a move Ennis calls a damning reflection on the club.
The 19-year-old is reportedly on the verge of being released immediately, provided a rival club pays a $165,000 transfer fee. Both the Bulldogs and Eels have submitted offers in the region of $750,000 per season for Galvin, whose current deal with the Tigers is worth about $350,000 annually.
According to The Sydney Morning Herald, Galvin’s management met with officials from both Parramatta and Canterbury on Wednesday, with an announcement expected in the coming days.
Galvin, who grew up in the Parramatta area and supported the Eels as a child, would likely slot into their five-eighth role next season, with Dylan Brown set to depart for Newcastle on a massive 10-year, $13 million deal. He would also have the chance to develop alongside star halfback Mitchell Moses—something Walters believes makes the Eels the logical choice.
“Parramatta makes the most sense for him,” Walters told Fox League. “If you’re a young five-eighth looking for someone to partner with, Mitchell Moses is the guy. I’d be leaning towards that.”
However, Galvin also has ties to the Bulldogs, with former schoolteacher Luke Vella now part of coach Cameron Ciraldo’s staff. While Matt Burton is firmly established in the five-eighth spot at Canterbury, Galvin could instead take over Toby Sexton’s No. 7 jersey. Bulldogs football boss Phil Gould has only added fuel to speculation by declining to confirm Sexton’s future.
Despite this, Ennis believes Galvin is more likely to end up in Belmore. “My gut feeling is he’ll sign with the Bulldogs,” Ennis said on Fox League. “It would be a massive coup. The Bulldogs are excelling right now—both on and off the field—and Ciraldo has got players thriving under his system.”
Ennis also referred to Gould’s recent praise of Galvin as “the best teenager he’s ever seen,” despite earlier claims that the Bulldogs had no interest. “As soon as Gus said that, I thought, ‘he’s a real chance to end up at Canterbury.’ And here we are.”
The biggest shock in this unfolding story remains Galvin’s decision to turn down a reported $6 million, five-year deal to stay with the Tigers. Accepting $750,000 per year elsewhere would mean sacrificing around $2 million—a move Ennis believes speaks volumes.
“That initial decision not to take the Tigers’ long-term offer was a massive blow for the club,” Ennis said. “To now walk for $750,000, leaving $2 million on the table just to get out, tells you everything about where things are at. It’s a huge story, and it looks like we’ll know the outcome within the next 24 to 48 hours.”
