Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo has a short video clip saved on the phone of Lachlan Galvin doing his first body weight session in the team gym. He has it there as a moment in time, and intends to one day show Galvin to remind him where he came from.
Galvin is about to undergo a physical and mental makeover now he is at the Bulldogs – something the rising star has been craving.
The recruit has already caught the eye at training for his skill work, but will undergo an intensive course in the Bulldogs’ systems, which will test his football IQ and toughness.
Galvin was so interested in developing the physical side of his football at the Wests Tigers that he was looking into hiring his own wrestling coach. The playmaker wasn’t always required by the Tigers when it came to wrestling sessions – a decision that wasn’t in his hands and which didn’t sit well with him.
The 19-year-old wanted to better himself through his own offsite work. He won’t have that same issue at the Bulldogs.
Canterbury general manager Phil Gould often spouts the line: “be careful what you wish for”. At the Dogs, Galvin will receive an education in the dark arts and the mental side of the game. The club is taking small but significant steps to bring him up to speed physically as well as schooling him in their defensive systems.
Lachlan Galvin trains with the Bulldogs.Credit: Canterbury Bulldogs
Galvin has never been one to do a lot of weight work. It has not been a big part of his training. One of the first things the Dogs will do with him is begin to build his body so it can withstand the training schedule that has made them one of the more physical sides in the competition.
It may impact his performances on the field as he adjusts to how the Dogs go about their work. Right now, Galvin would be one of the few Bulldogs players who doesn’t need to be taped up before a training session. You can imagine that after a couple of months in their program, that will change as his body becomes battle-hardened.
Galvin is seen as a raw talent in every sense by the Bulldogs and, initially, he may do it tough physically. But he’ll be better after an off-season under Cameron Ciraldo which will start to transform him into the physical player they want him to become.
Good judges say he has the size and skill to eventually develop into a forward in the mould of Isaah Yeo. Where he fits in to the team in the meantime remains to be seen.
Lachlan Galvin trains at Belmore with Canterbury Bulldogs.Credit: Bulldogs Digital
Galvin has already proved he is mentally tough, considering the scrutiny he has been under over the last two months as his exit from the Tigers was played out in the media. When I sat down with him for a tell-all interview with the Nine network, I didn’t know what to expect as I had only previously met him briefly at an all-in media conference.
I came away entirely impressed by his clarity, calmness and conviction. His character has been questioned, but from what I saw the Bulldogs have a genuine young man on their hands who has a huge desire to make a success of his career. What’s more, he has the verbal and mental capacity to become a media performer and a household name for all the right reasons.
Galvin shut down a number of myths that have been perpetuated recently around his desire to leave the Tigers and his relationships with key figures at the club. The most interesting take is that he was the one instructing his manager, Isaac Moses, on his future – not the other way around, as most have assumed.
He didn’t shy away from the fact that he and Jarome Luai are not the best of mates, but did say he was capable of putting personal differences aside to play in a team with Luai and others. He wasn’t too perturbed by critical Instagram posts by Luai and Sunia Turuva after revealing his desire to get out of the Tigers. Which makes you wonder how difficult things were elsewhere for him to initiate legal action against the club over bullying claims.
Obviously, Galvin could handle what he viewed as light-hearted attacks on his character. The more serious allegations – which were contained in a dossier that ran to at least 18 points – was obviously heavy duty. Galvin did the interview with me last week knowing the Tigers had granted his release on the condition he did not make disparaging comments about the club or individuals.
He certainly didn’t seem rattled by anything I put to him. It’ll be interesting if he’s able to tell the full story one day.
Tigers won’t be Api with skipper
The Perth Bears would love to hear that Api Koroisau is keen to play for them, after the Wests Tigers skipper touted himself to the new team via a media conference.
The media lapped it up – but given Tigers players and management fried Lachlan Galvin for privately expressing his desire to leave because he couldn’t see himself developing under Benji Marshall, it will be interesting to see if Tigers management respond.
Galvin wasn’t the captain and didn’t identify another club he wanted to play for via the media. A fair question is, was it team-first? Or Api first?
Tim’s a-changing
While on the Tigers, it was no surprise that Tim Sheens wasn’t at the 20-year reunion of the 2005 Premiership side. There may be other reasons, but be certain Sheens doesn’t have any time for current coach Marshall. Which is surprising, when you think he was mentoring Benji for the top job only a couple of years back before leaving the Tigers.
Is Turbo corked?
It’s interesting to note how long Tom Trbojevic has been hampered by a cork in his leg. Manly said he had been playing with the injury for several weeks before aggravating it against the Eels in round 12. He was then rested last week against the Broncos and missed Thursday night’s loss to Newcastle.
Tom Trbojevic sat out Thursday night’s game against Newcastle.Credit: NRL Photos
Stephen Crichton recovered from a corked thigh in 48 hours to star in Origin. This column has heard whispers Trbojevic has actually suffered a hamstring injury, which the Eagles have wanted to keep quiet so Tom isn’t harassed by media.
Titans roster reshuffle looms
At least one club has been sounded out in recent days about signing Jayden Campbell. The Titans have depth in the fullback area and enough talent in the halves. You have to think they need a roster rejig after a poor start to the year.
Bear necessities
No one questions Mal Meninga’s standing as an Immortal of the game. But many are quietly saying he is a risk as the Perth coach.
Here is what you need to consider. Meninga has been a great coach for Queensland and Australia, but throughout that time he has been acknowledged primarily as a brilliant man-manager while delegating coaching duties to the likes of Michael Hagan, Neil Henry, Adrian Lam and Brett White.
It’s likely that lack of ego will see him hand over the nuts and bolts to his assistant coaches. If he doesn’t, it would be a huge surprise and a potential problem. Meninga knows his strength lies in creating the culture of a club and being a salesman for the Bears. His aura and reputation should be exploited to attract players to the new franchise.
NRL CEO Andrew Abdo with Bears coach Mal Meninga and CEO Anthony De Ceglie. Credit: Getty Images
The NRL has also taken a risk by appointing Anthony De Ceglie as Bears CEO. The former News Corp and Seven West journalist/editor has copped a pasting in the media so far, remaining silent as his credibility and credentials have been questioned.
It will be interesting to see who he leans on in the media as he is off with the West Australian, which he edited for years. The situation is the same at the Seven network, but he has some old mates at News Corp, who are sure to give him a soft run. His greatest ally is Peter V’landys, who has backed him to the hilt. V’landys rarely gets it wrong and has vouched for De Ceglie.
Low tactics delayed Mal move
Part of the delay around the Meninga announcement was because he was lowballed at $600,000 when negotiations over his salary began. Meninga would have been one of the lower-paid coaches in the NRL if he accepted that offer. He was also required to give up his incomes from the Kangaroos, Raiders and Fox Sport. Keeping those gigs would have had him earning that salary.
Smith silent treatment a poor look
Cam Smith put his hand up to succeed Meninga as Australian coach, and deserved some level of acknowledgment from the NRL given his standing in the game. Some 36 hours later, they sounded out Brad Fittler for the position. I bumped into Smith in North Sydney and asked him what the NRL had said to him. At that point, no one contacted him. That’s hardly acceptable for a man of his standing.
Heavyweights put thinking cap on
Some of the game’s smartest minds will get together this week for a much-needed review of the salary cap. The group of heavy hitters will be chaired by Dragons boss Andrew Lancaster, and the likes of Bulldogs general manager Phil Gould, Raiders CEO Don Furner, Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon, leading agent David Riolo and players union boss Clint Newton will raise their concerns and try to come up with solutions. Areas like third-party arrangements, cap discounts for long-serving players, rewards for clubs that develop players and a multitude of other topics will be discussed.
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