Okay I haven't wrote a discussion in a long time but the recent events leading to Dylan Brown leaving the Eels to become the highest paid player in the game at Newcastle have compelled me to do so. The one major thing that is evident (even to most media outlets) is that the Eels will now have ''war chest'' to spend in the players market following Brown's departure. With the likes of Clint Gutherson, Maika Sivo, Reagan Campbell Gillard, Daejern Asi and Blaize Talagi all leaving the club at the end of the 2024 season and now Dylan Brown at the end of this season I dare say the Eels will be in the best position of any club in the player market moving forward (until we spend it).
There are many ways we could spend this ''war chest'' moving forward. But I'll focus on just 1 for the moment. Lachlan Galvin. The subject of this discussion.
Now since the Dylan Brown news broke in mainstream media yesterday It didn't take long for Lachlan Galvin's name to become linked with a return to Parramatta. Now this was met with a viscious biteback from both Tigers fans and Eels fans, both explaining there is NO WAY, that Galvin would return to Parramatta after they ''crushed his dream''. Now sure, Galvin and his management may have some hard feeling toward the Eels, but I think we all know these things can be turned around if the Eels played their cards right.
Let me take you all back to 2022...
Reed Mahoney was off contract for the 2023 season, the only serious competition the Eels had for his signature were the Bulldogs. Many Eels (myself included) and Bulldogs supporters thought that the Bulldogs chances of landing Mahoney were slim to none after they ''crushed his dream'' as a junior at Canterbury. The tolds told Mahoney he was too small, too fragile and flat out not good enough to play NRL, surely there's no way he goes back right? Well I think we all know how this story ended...
Mahoney would sit down with Gus Gould and Cameron Ciraldo for a succellant chinese meal, where the Bulldogs apologised for their past indiscretions, offered Mahoney a leading role at the club and possibly most importantly, up to 250K more a season than the Eels were willing to give him to retain him. Still even in light of this news being broken, most Eels and Bulldogs fans thought ''well he won't go, even if they're paying overs, they crushed his dream''. Under a week later the rest was history and Mahoney signed with the Bulldogs leaving the Eels for the club that once rejected him, all was forgiven.
Now what's to say the Eels can't pull this off with the likes of Matt Beach and Jason Ryles?
I think there is 2 major reasons and maybe 1 smaller reason why we could be in the best position to sign Galvin, well a better position than Wests Tigers are to keep him:
1 - There seems to be some major unrest between Galvin/his management and the Tigers right now. Supporting this, is the fact Galvin requested a release from the Tigers not that long ago. The Tigers have made their intetions clear to re sign Lachlan Galvin on a long term basis, and at this point in time he has rejected every opportunity he's had to sign a long term deal with the Tigers. It seems ever since he debuted with the club there has been rumors of him being ''unhappy'' and wanting to leave. If Galvin wanted to stay with the Tigers he would have done it by now, they were willing to pay him around 1 mill to stay without even going to the market. To me, from an outsider looking in this screams that he doesn't see his future at the Tigers.
2 - Galvin was a tragic Eels fan his whole life growing up, much like all of us. And I dare say, throughout a family that also supports the Eels there is no way he could ever hate the club. Even when Galvin has had the chance to drag the clubs name (Parramatta) through the mud he hasn't done that. His words about the Eels have been positive, not sure about family but Galvin hasn't been critical of us openly at all. Now of course, we really hurt this young kid sure. But if Matt Beach and Jason Ryles can sit down with Galvin much like how Mahoney did with the Bulldogs, I think all can be forgiven. Galvin has worn an Eels jersey for 95% of his life as either a supporter or player, I don't think that is something you just forget, particularly with a whole family that still supports the Eels.
3 - Mitchell Moses. If the Eels do choose to try and sign Galvin I'd be convincing Mitchell Moses to get in his ear. Moses was in the same position as Galvin, he was at the Tigers with the Eels attempting to sign him. Moses knows the Tigers club, his family is still very entrenched there, I think Mitch would be the perfect person to try and convince Lachlan to return to Parramatta as someone who has done just that.
Finishing this off I'll say that I think signing Galvin would cost us more than 1 mill a season, but I would be more than okay with that considering the club will have that to spend and more moving forward. I give us greater than a 50/50 chance of the signing if we choose to pursue it. The ball is now in court of Eels management to table an offer that is simply irresistable and we have time to do so.
Just an opinion folks, don't go nuts over it. Anything could happen.
Replies
I think Galvin returns is very doable. To date it can be looked at as crushing a dream or it can be looked at as a road bump along the way to getting what he truely wants.
Mitch Moses was in exactly the same boat with exactly the same clubs and he came home back to his childhood club to fullfill a dream he had as kid growing up. Galvin's story and journey is so similar so i see no reason the outcome cant be the same. Galvin to the Eels. Im on board, I already like the kid.
Well those who told him he was not good enough are gone. It is a brand new system now. That can be in our favour. Ryles will need to butter him up but a simple come home and fulfill your destiny, lead the club you grew up loving to a title.
There's no point paying another million for a half if we don't have any forwards . Galvin isn't another player that's brilliant enough to compensate for holes in the squad elsewhere. Hes just not good enough .
We need to set our sights on the next Galvin if this blokes going to be expecting that kind of money. And if his managers going to be playing funny buggers then it's just not for us.
Sorry to burst everyone's bubble.
You are right in the fact that we desperately need forwards but we are spending fuck all on the two other parts of the spine, hooker and fullback.
Which is an issue in itself. I still think we need to buy a genuine established player in one of these positions. Not convinced they'll both kick on to the standards we need in the timeframe we need.
I saw Peter Tunks this morning , he could do a better job than some of the dopes we have in the pack .
Wizard's correct. The biggest weakness in our team at the moment is the forward pack. Ryles needs to make some tough decisions and clear out the dead wood (of which there is plenty). There's no point having an All Star back line if they never receive the ball in reasonable field position. We should have gone harder for Thompson and/or May.
Totally agree we should have gone hard for Thompson & May. This is what Warren Ryan said to Ryles, you need mongrel players that do things not all players do. And we miss out on both of them.
Agree, no halves can dominate behind this pack, that is a priority for sure, but surely there is no reason why we can't afford both?
If Galvin is off contract same time as Paulo, that probably covers him.
I would be prepared to pay this kid more than what I would have been prepared to pay dylan.
Galvin is the games next super star, he reminds me a lot of Jonathan Thurston, not so much in his style but in the fact he wants to be involved in every play and can play 6 as well as 7.
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