Galvin’s new club: Two hot favourites, yet Gus’ Roosters swipe may come back to bite

Lachlan Galvin has permission to negotiate with rival NRL clubs and may be on the brink of an immediate exit from Wests Tigers, per reports on Wednesday.

He will be playing for a new team no later than next season and may even switch clubs for the remainder of 2025. Given that Galvin is contracted until the end of next year, the Tigers will reportedly want a transfer fee, or potentially a swapped player; though ultimately they consider Latu Fainu to be the long-term halves partner for Jarome Luai.

Here are the clubs that could sign Galvin, with the race having narrowed since his desire to leave was first announced, and what a move to each team would mean.

FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every game of every round in the 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership, LIVE with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer.

EELS

Parramatta have been touted as the most obvious candidate to sign Galvin, given that the club has an open slot for a $1 million per season playmaker with the loss of Dylan Brown to Newcastle for next season.

Galvin is also an Eels junior and he would get the chance to play alongside NSW Origin and Test star Mitchell Moses in the halves; a neat fit in which Moses could play as the orchestrator at No.7 and Galvin as a natural, ball-running No.6.

The Eels will be desperate to sign Galvin, having locked in Moses for the remainder of his prime but lost Brown to a stunning $13 million Knights contract.

Apart from Moses, there are some green shoots at the Eels in the form of young fullback Isaiah Iongi, still-rising centre Will Penisini and powerful forward Luca Moretti; though the roster remains a work in progress under new coach Jason Ryles, as their lowly ladder position indicates.

“I still think all roads lead to Parramatta for Lachlan Galvin,” CODE Sports rugby league reporter David Riccio said on NRL 360 recently.

“Playing alongside Mitchell Moses is an appeal. The Eels are my even money favourites.”

Yet Fox League’s James Hooper countered: “I find that strange. They’re running last. What’s their appeal?”

To take Galvin this season, the Eels would need to shift Brown immediately to the Knights; who would welcome him with open arms if they are able to move on out-of-favour playmaker Jackson Hastings, who is exiled from the NRL team while earning $800,000 per season. Hastings, a former Super League Man of Steel winner, has been linked with UK powerhouse Leeds Rhinos.

Back-up halfback Ronald Volkman re-signed with the Eels on Wednesday until the end of next season, while former South Sydney playmaker Dean Hawkins is also on their roster for this year.

Bulldogs five-eighth Matt Burton, departing Wests Tigers star Lachlan Galvin and Eels halfback Mitchell Moses. Source: Getty Images

BULLDOGS

Galvin has an intriguing link to the Bulldogs via a former Westfields High School mentor, Luke Vella, who is now an assistant of Dogs coach Cameron Ciraldo.

Galvin got an off-season tattoo — I.N.F.E — that stands for a favourite Vella saying: “It’s not for everyone.”

His fit in the Bulldogs line-up is somewhat questionable, with Canterbury’s existing star playmaker Matt Burton also a running five-eighth.

Yet Burton is also a superstar centre, should the Dogs rethink his future role, while Bailey Hayward is rated a potential No.7. Canterbury also has a stack of young playmaking talent like Mitchell Woods, touted club’s the long-term halfback, plus the recently re-signed Cassius Tia and pre-season standout Joseph O’Neill.

The Bulldogs’ ongoing reluctance to re-sign incumbent halfback Toby Sexton is a long-running curiosity, and the fact that he remains uncontracted for next year is another factor fuelling speculation around Galvin; speculation largely brought about by GM Phil Gould’s open adulation for the teen playmaker.

On one hand, the ladder-leading Dogs make all the sense in the world... on the other, they really don’t, barring Galvin’s exceptional talent.

“I think it makes sense that all roads lead to Canterbury because everything we’ve heard out of camp, was the decision was going to be about where he could best improve his football development,” Hooper said on NRL360.

“You look at the Dogs at the moment and whether it’s experienced players like Stephen Crichton, or emerging rookies like Bailey Hayward, Ciraldo has this team absolutely humming.

“He’s (Galvin) come out and said I want to be the best educated footballer I can possibly become. I want to try and win premierships, it’s not about money.”

Riccio countered: “I come back to the Dogs and I know how much they believe in the development of Bailey Hayward as a half and a talented young player in their lower grades called Mitchell Woods.

“I saw what Bailey Hayward did when he stepped up in the second half against the Raiders. He took more of a dominant playmaking role than Toby Sexton did and I firmly believe that this bloke is the short to medium term focus for the Dogs in the halves.”

'It makes sense': Galvin to the Dogs? | 06:39

ROOSTERS

The Roosters have not been strongly linked with Galvin — but the timing of him being able to negotiate with rival clubs and a declaration on Tuesday from departing Manly captain Daly Cherry-Evans is fascinating.

If you take Cherry-Evans’ comments on face value, he has not yet signed a $1 million contract to join the Roosters for next season and the Dolphins remain in play.

The Roosters signing DCE (36) for next season to partner Sam Walker would be done with an immediate premiership bid in mind — but signing Galvin (19) to partner Walker (22) feels like the makings of a dynasty.

If the money is still sitting there to choose Galvin over Cherry-Evans, the Roosters would have to give serious consideration to the younger man, on a long-term deal.

The touted signing of DCE has drawn criticism, with Gould saying that it would only hamper Walker’s development as a chief playmaker.

“I can’t understand why the Roosters are in the conversation for Daly Cherry-Evans,” Gould said on 100% Footy.

“I mean they have invested heavily in Sam Walker long term as their No.7. So you want to put that on hold for two years and ... play him six — Cherry-Evans is not going there to play six and play on the left hand side of the field.

“He is going to come there to play seven — if he goes there. I don’t think he is. I don’t think he is even in the frame. I can’t understand why the Roosters would be remotely interested in putting that roadblock in the way of Sam Walker’s development right now and holding him back for another two years while Cherry-Evans takes over the team.”

Who knows — maybe Gus’ words could come back to bite him, should the Roosters cop the tip and move on the younger Galvin to partner Walker. Never, ever discount the Chooks when a marquee talent is on the market.

If Galvin joined, he’d be coming in alongside NSW Origin hooker Reece Robson from the Cowboys, and with champion fullback James Tedesco still in mighty form.

The Roosters have a stack of young playmaking pieces in their pocket that might interest the Tigers (or other clubs), such as Sandon Smith and Hugo Savala, while Toby Rodwell is a big prospect for the future.

Where the Roosters-Galvin theory falls down? Galvin’s agent Isaac Moses, blamed for orchestrating the ugly furore around his Tigers exit, is in the black book of Roosters supremo Nick Politis, who reportedly refuses to do business with him.

Click here to read article