The narrative has been pushed that, due to his friendship with Jarome Luai, Stephen Crichton may not have been all that keen to see Lachlan Galvin arrive at the Bulldogs.
The theory is that because Luai was critical of Galvin’s decision to go on the open market while still contracted to the Wests Tigers – see Luai’s cutting
“Team first” social media post – that his good friend and former Panthers teammate Crichton may share the sentiment.
The Bulldogs captain said he did not like the fallout of Galvin’s Tigers’ exit, including suggestions the playmaker may not be well received at the Bulldogs.
“I don’t really like [the speculation] either, but I feel like you don’t know someone unless you actually meet them,” said Crichton from NSW camp at the Blue Mountains on Wednesday.
“You can have an opinion about someone, but unless you go up there and speak to them, you never know how that person is. That’s probably what I got from Lachie because I never really met him until he got to the club.
“When he did get there, the biggest thing was he was happy. He loves his footy, comes from a loving family, and the connection between the boys and him is probably the most vital thing. We’re just happy to have him at the club as well.”
Despite the controversy surrounding his transfer, Canterbury threw out the blue-and-white welcome mat for Galvin, who made a successful debut for his new club against Parramatta on Monday. As part of the initiation, Bulldogs players invited him to address the team about his ‘why’ – his motivation for making the move.
“We just wanted to learn what was the honest truth with everything,” Crichton explained. “It wasn’t about money and things like that, it’s just coming to learn, for one.
“Two, being a better person and to be a better footy player as well. I feel like he’s landed at the best club for that. Ever since coming, he’s just learned so much in the space of five days before that game.
“He got his opportunity on the weekend, and I was that happy to see him shine and see him smiling, too. Especially after a stressful week, coming to a new club and a lot of noise around it too. I feel like he handled it really well.”
Galvin slotted in at halfback against the Eels, bumping Toby Sexton to hooker and regular dummy half Reed Mahoney to the dressing sheds for an early finish. The Bulldogs had all the possession late in the game against a tiring Eels team, and Galvin scored a try to help secure a victory.
“Everyone knows what he can do with the ball, but coming to the Dogs, a defensive mindset comes first,” Crichton said.
“He’s come in, he’s shown a lot with the ball, but there’s a lot of learnings there that he can take in defensively. That’s something that we pride ourselves on, our defence more than our attack. The way that he’s come in and just learned, for one thing, the boys have accepted him with the way that he’s come in.
“There’s been a lot of noise around him coming to the club as well, but I feel like that performance on the weekend just showed how connected we are as a footy club and as a community as well.”
Crichton said Galvin had impressed the playing group when explaining his reasons for joining the “Family Club”.
“You’ve got to know every player’s motivation, but you kind of see that in his actions throughout the week, when we’re watching video, if he’s still on the field kicking,” Crichton said. “That’s probably a few things that I’ve seen in him straight away – always first in, doing his video, last one on the field, practicing his kicks, different types of kicks and that.
“But that’s all of our halves there, and he just kind of slotted in with Burto [Matt Burton] and Toby. I just joined in with them. Little signs. Pretty early, but it’s good.”
Galvin has signed for the next three-and-a-half seasons and the Bulldogs want to play the long game with their teenage recruit. It’s been suggested he could eventually fill out and become a back-rower, but Crichton felt he was best suited to the No.7 jersey for now.
“He’s played halfback his whole life as well and the way that he’s been playing at the Tigers, he’s mad with the ball,” he said. ” But like I said, Ciro [Cameron Ciraldo] picks the team off a defensive mindset, too.
“Regardless of where he plays, we were called a bunch of utilities last year, and we’ve got another one, too. Wherever he suits in the team and whatever’s best for the team as well is what Ciro will pick the team off.”
There was a concern that Galvin’s arrival at a club sitting at the top of the ladder had the potential to disrupt team harmony. His arrival is likely to push out Sexton and Mahoney, but Crichton felt everyone would back decisions made in the best interests of the club.
“I feel like it’s the kind of culture that we’re building right now,” he said. “One of our values at our team is a team-first mentality. Regardless of where you sit in the team, it’s always what the club needs and the team goes first.
“I feel like once you put that at the forefront of your mind, regardless of who’s in the team, you want the club going in the right direction. You put your individual thoughts and ego at the door.”
Hatchet man theory further getting trashed
