The high-profile signing of Lachlan Galvin is set to have long-term ramifications for the Bulldogs’ spine.
Galvin starred off the bench for Canterbury in their 30-12 win over Parramatta on Monday, scoring the match-sealing try.
With the boom 19-year-old under contract with the Bulldogs until the end of the 2028 season, it’s set to give the Bulldogs’ spine a whole new look, and have consequences for all the incumbents.
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Here, we take a look at the long-term changes the Bulldogs might make in their key positions.
“Long-term 7” – Dogs plan for Galvin? | 03:58
WHAT HAPPENS TO TOBY SEXTON AND REED MAHONEY?
Halfback Toby Sexton is off contract at the end of the 2025 season, and at the moment, it’s looking unlikely he will be retained by the club. Sexton was shifted to hooker in the latter stages of the clash against the Eels, with Galvin playing halfback. When discussing who would have to make way for Galvin, journalist Brent Read declared Sexton would be the one to take the fall.
“So I think it comes down to either Reed Mahoney or Toby Sexton and I’d imagine in that situation probably Toby’s the one who misses out long-term,” Read said on NRL 360 on Monday night.
However, on Tuesday night’s show, host Braith Anasta and panellist Dean Ritchie believed hooker Mahoney may soon be shown the door as well.
“There was always going to be fall guys, or a fall guy, in this,” Anasta said.
“We know that and Canterbury know that too and unfortunately it’s looking like it’s going to be Reed Mahoney and a positional switch for Sexton.”
Ritchie mentioned that a “suggestion” had been made that Mahoney would soon be packing his bags at the Bulldogs.
“There’s certainly a lot of rumours coming out of Belmore that Reed is on the nose there,” Ritchie added.
“Whether it’s to do with his discipline in previous years.
“There is a suggestion that he may be moved on either next year or later on this year.”
When Galvin went on the field against the Eels, Mahoney was taken off, and the No.9 was seen to be visibly frustrated in the dressing rooms afterwards.
Ritchie pointed out that Sexton wasn’t even aware that he would be moved into Mahoney’s dummy half position, once Galvin came into the game.
“Clearly, if he’s been hooked, things aren’t going great,” Ritchie said.
“And not only hooked, but replaced at dummy half by a bloke who’s a halfback, who didn’t even know he was going to play dummy half, allegedly.”
Mahoney is under contract with the Bulldogs until the end of 2026, but given Ritchie’s comments, and the club’s unwillingness to re-sign Sexton, it seems as though the Bulldogs’ current halfback and hooker won’t be with the club in the long-term.
The Tigers would be a great fit for Sexton, in what would turn out to be a straight swap for Galvin. If the Tigers were to sign Sexton at halfback, they could move four-time premiership winner Jarome Luai to his preferred position of five-eighth.
The Dragons, who were thumped by 50 points by the Dolphins, are in serious need of new halves and should also be looking closely at Sexton.
READ MORE: ‘Hasn’t done the work’: Demoted Dog’s brutal off-camera reaction to Galvin debut — Extra Time
Galvin scores on Bulldogs debut! | 03:12
WHO WILL BE THE LONG-TERM FULLBACK?
Current fullback Connor Tracey may be another Bulldog who will soon be looking for a new home. Tracey is off contract at the end of 2026. The reason he may find himself on the search for another club is that five-eighth Matt Burton may need to be shifted to fullback. It’s an idea that Bulldogs 2004 premiership winner Anasta is open to.
“I don’t mind the idea of playing Burton at fullback,” Anasta told news.com.au.
“It doesn’t mess up the team chemistry, Burton’s kicking game isn’t taken away by being at fullback, and of course that is tough for Tracey, but Burton fits the mould of the modern fullback arguably better.
“Fullbacks these days are runners, who are real ball players and it (playing fullback) would allow him to inject himself into the game as he likes. If it was up to me I’d be doing that before anything else so as to not interrupt the team as much.
“I could see them really having success with Burton at fullback.”
Burton is under contract until the end of 2027 and as one of the club’s top stars, there’s no way the Dogs will want him to leave.
However, he was lured from Penrith on the understanding that he would play five-eighth at the Bulldogs, so it remains to be seen if he would be happy to switch from No.6. Apart from being a former Dally M Centre of the Year, Burton has also been touted as a potential ball-playing lock in future, given his big frame.
Galvin ON! Mahoney off & Sexton to 9 | 00:45
WHO PLAYS FIVE-EIGHTH?
The Bulldogs certainly aren’t short on long-term halves options. There are huge wraps on NSW Cup halfback Joseph O’Neill, and Mitchell Woods, a future halfback who just debuted in the NSW Cup. O’Neill captained the Bulldogs’ Jersey Flegg team to the 2023 premiership, and was given a taste of first grade action in the pre-season challenge, while Woods featured in the club’s Jersey Flegg premiership defence in 2024.
The need to elevate O’Neill or Woods into the NRL side, along with the club’s desire for Galvin to play halfback, may force the club into shifting Burton from five-eighth to fullback, with O’Neill or Woods, whoever emerges quicker, shaping as the long-term five-eighth. Woods has been touted as the future of the club.
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WHO PLAYS HALFBACK?
Several pundits within the game have indicated the Bulldogs see Galvin as their long-term halfback.
“I think Galvin will be the long-term seven. I think that’s the way I understood it was going to play out,” Read added.
Last month, when it was confirmed Galvin had signed with the Bulldogs, Fox League commentator Greg Alexander said he believed Galvin would be the Bulldogs halfback.
“I think he’ll play first grade, I think he’ll be in the side, I think he’ll play halfback,” Alexander said of Galvin.
“I think that’s why they’ve bought him. It’s brutal but I think that’s it.”
Kevin Walters agreed with Alexander.
“I think they’ll slot him into that seven jumper,” he said.
Should Galvin not prove a genuine No.7, in terms of adding game management to his strong running impact, then he may simply switch jerseys with the likes of Woods.
WHO PLAYS HOOKER?
With Mahoney and Sexton likely to depart, that will free up the salary cap space for the club to retain utility Bailey Hayward, who started at lock against the Eels to allow Galvin to join the bench. While Hayward is contracted until the end of 2026, Read said he’s in the club’s long-term plans.
“I can’t imagine it’ll be Bailey Hayward because they seem to have big wraps on him,” Read said, when the panel were discussing who the Bulldogs would need to let go.
With Hayward’s utility value, he could easily fill the vacancy at hooker. That leaves the utility role vacant – one which could be filled by Cassius Tia, the NSW Cup five-eighth who can also play multiple positions.
