The Bulldogs King’s Birthday clash with the Eels doesn’t need anymore spice, but Lachlan Galvin’s arrival has provided plenty more fuel for the fire in latest chapter of a storeyed rivalry.
As far as arch rivals in rugby league go, you don’t get much more heated than the historical battle between the two neighbours in gold and blue.
Not only have they clashed in Grand Finals and won titles against each other in the 80s, but they have also struggled together in the last couple of decades.
The Bulldogs have not tasted premiership glory since 2004, while the Eels have the longest premiership drought in the NRL stretching back to 1986.
Canterbury-Bankstown haven’t lifted the trophy in over two decades, while Parramatta are now approaching their fourth decade without a Grand Final triumph.
Throw in two of the most passionate fanbases in the game, a $10 ticket promotion that has the NRL regular season attendance record under threat and you get a powder keg of emotion and fire and brimstone, ahead of their long-weekend date with destiny.
But the arrival of Galvin at Belmore just a week before the game after reportedly backflipping on a deal to join the Eels, has turned an already mouth-watering clash into an even more salivating blockbuster, which is live and exclusive on Kayo.
Foxsports.com.au sat down with Bulldogs legend and premiership winner Braith Anasta to discuss in depth the ramifications of the Galvin decision for both the Bulldogs and the Eels and what it means for the two proud clubs ahead of Monday’s clash and moving forward for the rest of the 2025 season and beyond.
Anasta played the first six years of his career for the Bulldogs, scoring 50 tries in 110 games for the Belmore club, including the drought-breaking 2004 title, the club’s first in nearly a decade.
The premiership winning five-eighth played in his fair share of clashes between the two proud clubs and knows what the players are in for at Accor Stadium on Monday afternoon.
“It’s always a beauty,” Anasta told foxsports.com.au.
“When you get to these clubs like the Bulldogs and Parramatta, you learn a lot about the history of the joint.
“It goes back a long, long time before us because they are close in proximity and the fans are the most passionate or close to it in the competition.
“When you look at the fan bases of both the Eels and the Bulldogs because there is that rivalry and a bit of hatred there, it just sets up to be an absolute blockbuster.
“As a player, they are the games you want to be involved in, it’s a stand-alone game on a Monday live and exclusive on Kayo, the Galvin situation.
“There are so many different storylines surrounding this game and it just makes this even bigger and better.”
It is the question on everyone’s lips, how does Lachlan Galvin fit into a team that is two points clear on top of the table and has only lost two games all year?
The 19-year-old has played the majority of his 31-game NRL career at five-eighth, but the Bulldogs have Matt Burton in that role.
Galvin could play halfback, but that would mean dropping Toby Sexton, who has been impressive albeit in a simple role in Ciraldo’s Bulldogs machine.
He could also be a long-term prospect at lock or second row and given his size and skill, Galvin could also play in the centres at a pinch.
Anasta believes where Galvin plays for the rest of the 2025 season may not be where he ends up at the Bulldogs, but it may depend on how other players fare in their positions.
“It’s an intriguing one and I think there’s probably different plans for the short term and long term with the Bulldogs,” Anasta said.
“I think short term it’ll be just where he fits for this year and whatever gives them the best opportunity to win a comp in the interim really.
“He could play anywhere from No.14 to No.7. I think they’ve bought him as No.7 and they will be monitoring Sexton.
“Sexton’s got a lot of pressure on him now to deliver or else they’ll make that switch. But if Sexton plays really well and continues to lead this team in the right direction, Galvin could find himself anywhere.
“He could go in the back row, he could go on at No.13, they could move Burton to fullback or Crichton to fullback and get him into the No.6 role with Sexton.
“There’s a number of options they’ve got and they’re all good ones. I think it’s going to be so interesting and intriguing and such an eye-opener to see what they do with him. It’s fascinating, it really is.”
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