Phil Gould has revealed young playmaker Lachlan Galvin has topped a pre-season fitness challenge for the Bulldogs with rising talent Mitch Woods also making a statement. The Bulldogs and Gould were heavily criticised in 2025 after bringing over Galvin during the NRL season after the five-eighth’s controversial exit from the Wests Tigers.
Unfortunately, Galvin’s inclusion in the squad divided Bulldogs fans with their dip in form coming when coach Cameron Ciraldo opted to start the new recruit. The Bulldogs’ season ended in disappointment and plenty of criticism was levelled at Galvin over his performances.
Phil Gould (pictured right) has revealed young playmaker Lachlan Galvin (pictured) has topped a pre-season fitness challenge for the Bulldogs with rising talent Mitch Woods also making a statement. (Images: Getty Images)
But it appears Galvin is ready to silence his critics in 2026 having hit the ground running in his first pre-season with the Bulldogs. Gould revealed Galvin topped the scores in the Yo-Yo fitness drill.
While some of Galvin’s representative teammates haven’t joined pre-season yet after the international schedule, Gould’s reveal is a huge boost for Bulldogs fans knowing the youngster is hard at work. Interestingly, rising star Woods finished behind Galvin.
Woods is considered by some at the club as a future star in the halves. Bulldogs head of football Gould has already tipped young halfback Woods to earn his debut in 2026. This raised question marks around Matt Burton’s long-term future in the halves at the Bulldogs with Woods and Galvin around. Regardless, fans would be thrilled to see their two young talents leading from the front.
Lachlan Galvin (pictured) is hard at work during the Bulldogs’ pre-season.
Galvin made the high-profile exit from the Tigers to join the Bulldogs in 2025. And while it was initially deemed a classy bit of business, fans turned on the concept when the Bulldogs’ season started to unravel. Ciraldo handed Galvin the No.7 jersey after dropping Toby Sexton midway through the season. The Bulldogs then struggled having finished fourth after leading the competition.
Bulldogs fans were calling for him to be reinstated to the No.7 jersey in the NRL finals, but it didn’t go to plan with the Bulldogs knocked out against the Panthers with Sexton at No.7 and Galvin No.6. Although it appears the Bulldogs will enter the 2026 season with Galvin wearing the No.7 jersey. And he is clearly putting in the hard work before the season having led the way in the fitness department.
Bulldogs add Brisbane Broncos player to squad
Meanwhile, the Bulldogs moved to bolster their forward depth having signed Fletcher Baker for 2026. The 25-year-old Baker played 14 NRL games for the Broncos across 2024 and 2025, but fell out of favour with Michael Maguire this season and spent the majority of the year in reserve grade.
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He previously played 46 games for the Roosters from 2021 to 2023, and looks to still have a fairly good career in front of him. The Bulldogs swooped when the Broncos opted against offering him a new contract for 2026.
Gould hyped up the signing of Baker on social media. “Quality young man,” he wrote. “Country lad. Good stock. Been in good systems at Rooster and Bronco. Big & mobile. Good trainer and loves his defensive work. Can run the ball too. No luck with injury this past couple of years. He’s looking to change his luck. We can help him do that.”