Galvin under fire: Johns says he's no NRL halfback as Bulldogs' spine gamble falters

Key facts

• Lachlan Galvin has won 7 of 16 starts at halfback since joining Canterbury mid-2025.
• Bulldogs average 19 points per game, second-lowest in the NRL ahead of only St George Illawarra.
• Canterbury lost 32-12 to a depleted Brisbane Broncos side on Friday to fall to a 3-4 record.
• Andrew Johns declared Galvin is not an NRL-calibre halfback on the Nine Network.
• Braith Anasta questioned the decision to move Galvin to halfback, saying the Bulldogs now have 'two five-eighths'.
• Galvin has not spoken publicly about his form all season.
• Stephen Crichton cited Galvin's performance in a 32-16 win over Penrith as proof of his ability.

A halfback experiment under siege

Lachlan Galvin has won just seven of his 16 starts at halfback for Canterbury since his controversial mid-season move from Wests Tigers, and the doubts are now impossible to ignore. After another ugly loss — a 32-12 defeat to a Brisbane side missing several key players — the Bulldogs have slumped to a 3-4 record, and their attack is the second-worst in the competition, averaging only 19 points per game. Only bottom-placed St George Illawarra score fewer. Andrew Johns, the rugby league immortal, delivered a blunt verdict on the Nine Network: Galvin is not an NRL-calibre halfback. The declaration has turned up the heat on Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo, who restructured the club's spine last year to accommodate the then-19-year-old in the No. 7 jersey, pushing out Matt Burton and Toby Sexton.

The decision that reshaped Canterbury's spine

The move to bring Galvin to Belmore was one of the most talked-about roster decisions of 2025. The Bulldogs blew up their existing spine to make room for the former Tiger, installing him as the chief playmaker despite his relative inexperience. The results have been mixed at best. On Friday night against North Queensland, the attack again struggled despite enjoying plenty of ball in the Cowboys' end. Galvin was one of the Bulldogs' better players — as he has been all season — but the question persists: can he provide what a team needs from its primary halfback? Braith Anasta, speaking after the 28-12 loss to the Cowboys, said he couldn't understand the move. 'I'm sure Ciraldo is a very smart coach so he's got his reasons for it, but I wouldn't have done it,' Anasta said. 'No one can question Lachlan Galvin's effort, intensity, energy — he's their most threatening player on the field. He really is every week.'

A captain's defence and a teammate's burden

Canterbury captain Stephen Crichton launched an impassioned defence of Galvin after the loss to Brisbane, pointing to the 20-year-old's performance in the Bulldogs' 32-16 win over premiership favourites Penrith earlier this month. 'The way he played against the Panthers, everyone was on his side, saying he was the best halfback that week,' Crichton said. 'Now, two weeks later, he probably hasn't performed the way he would've wanted to and that's a reflection of the boys around him not helping him do his job.' Crichton insisted the team still believes Galvin is their halfback. 'We definitely know that he is our halfback, and the way he played against the Panthers is the way a halfback should be playing,' he said. The captain described the criticism as 'pretty harsh' and expressed sympathy for the young playmaker, who has been hidden from the media spotlight all season and has not publicly addressed his form.

A pattern of inconsistency and structural questions

The numbers paint a stark picture. Since his debut for Canterbury, Galvin has started 16 games at halfback and won only seven. The team's points-per-game average of 19 is a significant drop from the attacking output expected of a side that invested heavily in a new playmaker. Anasta argued that the Bulldogs now effectively have 'two five-eighths' on the field, lacking a traditional organising halfback who can unlock the players around him. 'He had 10 to 20 runs but as good as that is … you've got to unlock the players around and create opportunities … at the moment you just know what Lachlan is going to do,' Anasta said. 'It's high-energy and he's going to score a try now and then. But is he the halfback? Is he the answer? They made that big decision last year, they brought him to the club as a seven, Sexton gone, and they don't want to talk about it but the fact is they haven't been the same since.'

What comes next for Galvin and the Bulldogs

The pressure is mounting on Ciraldo to make a call. Johns has urged the coach to end the experiment and shift Galvin to his more familiar position of five-eighth, a role he played with distinction at Wests Tigers. But the Bulldogs have invested heavily in Galvin as a halfback, and moving him now would be an admission that the gamble has not paid off. Crichton's public backing may buy Galvin some time, but the results must improve. The Bulldogs face a crucial run of fixtures, and their attack needs to show signs of life. If the losses continue, the calls for change will only grow louder. Galvin, for his part, remains silent, letting his performances — and his captain — do the talking.

A club at a crossroads

Canterbury's gamble on Galvin was a bet on potential over proven production. So far, the returns have been uneven. The young halfback has shown flashes of brilliance — the Penrith win stands as a template — but consistency has eluded him and the team. The broader question is whether the structure around him is set up for success. Anasta summed up the dilemma: 'When will they make the call? Are they going to make a call?' For now, the Bulldogs are sticking with their man. But in a results-driven competition, patience is a scarce commodity. The next few weeks will determine whether Galvin can silence his critics or whether the experiment will be abandoned.

The bottom line

• Lachlan Galvin has won only 7 of 16 starts at halfback for Canterbury since joining mid-2025.
• The Bulldogs average 19 points per game, second-worst in the NRL.
• Andrew Johns has declared Galvin is not an NRL-calibre halfback, urging a switch to five-eighth.
• Captain Stephen Crichton has publicly defended Galvin, citing his performance against Penrith.
• Braith Anasta argues the Bulldogs now have 'two five-eighths' and lack a traditional playmaker.
• Galvin has not spoken to the media all season about his form or the criticism.