'I'm always going to back my instincts': How Galvin silenced doubters

Lachlan Galvin insists his combination with Bulldogs five-eighth Matt Burton will continue to improve after producing a clutch play to snatch victory against the Dragons and silence the doubters.

Starting in the No.7 jersey for the first time since joining Canterbury from Wests Tigers six weeks ago, Galvin scored a first half try and threw a long cut-out pass for rookie winger Jethro Rinakama to cross in the 79th minute.

The try handed the Bulldogs a 20-18 win and demonstrated to the 30,000 fans at Accor Stadium on Saturday night why coach Cameron Ciraldo has such faith in the 20-year-old to be the team’s long-term halfback.

“I just saw the opportunity and I took it,” Galvin said. “That's pretty much what I do. I saw the pass and I threw it. I'm always going to do that, I'm always going to back my instincts. That's just me.”

A proud Ciraldo described the match winning play as “possibly one of the bravest passes I’ve seen” considering the amount of hype, speculation and criticism Galvin has had to endure since his decision to quit the Tigers for the Bulldogs.

However, Galvin said he tried to ignore the outside noise and was focused on developing his combination with team-mates ahead of the finals after Canterbury claimed outright second place following the Storm’s loss to Manly on Saturday night.

“It is what it is, people are always going to have their opinions but I'm just going to keep working,” he said.

“I listen to the people inside the four walls at Belmore and that's Ciro and all the coaches and all the boys.

“I keep working hard and for it to pay off tonight and me to keep building for the rest of the year, that's all I'm going to do.

“I'm just here to learn. That's all I want to do. I'm only 20 years of age, I just want to keep building. I'll just keep learning and keep building. Ciro and all the assistants are doing that for me.”

With the Bulldogs disrupted by State of Origin commitments since his arrival in early June, Galvin had spent just 51 minutes alongside Burton in the halves in his previous five matches.

However, they are now looking forward to building a long-term partnership as Canterbury target their first premiership since 2004.

“He is mad to play with, he's got such a strong running game so I'm just trying to free up space for him to use that,” Galvin said.

“What I can do for him to get him the ball and get the strike players in our team the ball, that's what I'm going to do. I love playing with him. We're building a good bond now. He's real good out on the field. He talks well. I love him.”

After backing Galvin to wear the No.7 jersey over long-serving halfback Toby Sexton, Ciraldo felt the tough call had been vindicated regardless of the result against the Dragons.

“I’ve got to say, even before that last pass, I’d seen a lot of what I liked or what we wanted to see, so whether he makes that pass or not, there was a lot in his game that I liked,” he said.

"I thought Lachy did some really good things. I thought he helped us get off to a really good start with the way he was moving the ball and activating guys on the outside.

“And to make that play at the end, it’s possibly one of the bravest passes I’ve seen.

“We all know he’s had pressure on him, and I can’t wrap him enough for how well he’s handled it, but to trust his instincts and trust himself to make that play just shows everyone probably what we’ve been seeing at training for the last six weeks.”

One of the first players to congratulate Galvin after he drifted over to the left side to throw the pass for the match-winning try was captain Stephen Crichton, who played outside him at right centre. 

"He’s been copping a lot ever since he’s come to the club,” Crichton said.

we see in our four walls what he does at training and just for him to trust that and in the biggest moment, he put that pressure on himself. If the pass happens, which it did, that’s what he does at training as well.

“So even if it didn’t, we’ll be back him anyway, but just the confidence that he had to throw that pass just shows the type of player he is and we’re happy that he’s at our club too.”