The first step in Lachlan Galvin’s evolution as an NRL halfback

April 2, 2026 — 5:00am

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Good Friday is one of the great days and nights of footy on the NRL calendar. The record 65,000 crowd Canterbury and South Sydney drew last year is proof of that.

This time round though, Souths are coming off a bye and the Dogs were flat and well-beaten by the Knights.

It’s only round five, and he’s not the only young half in the spotlight, but it’s all eyes on Lachlan Galvin and Canterbury’s attack.

Most importantly, we have to remember Lachie is only 20 years old and he’s still working out his game, particularly at No.7. Go back and watch Johnathan Thurston or Nathan Cleary at that age. It’s unrecognisable compared to when they’re at the peak of their powers.

Still, if you’re on big money, wearing the No.7 and calling the shots, then you need to deliver. So my advice to Galvin would be to simplify his play for now.

From each spot on the field, Galvin can help himself by not complicating Canterbury’s attack and running just one offensive shape.

So whether it’s from the middle, with a 6-4 split (as in how many defenders set up on either side of the play-the-ball, with two markers and the fullback), or with a longer shift from one side to the other, use one shape.

Have your edge ball-runners, your middle forwards and your spine operating from one pattern. And from that, you can always roll with various options off the back of it. The way he and Jacob Preston combine on the right-edge is a good example.

But against Newcastle, Galvin dropped two balls cold and it looked to me like his mind was racing with all his playmaking options. So simplify it, run one dominant playmaking shape and build your game from there.

The Bulldogs and Rabbitohs are such an interesting match-up because........

© The Sydney Morning Herald