‘The smart decision was made’: Luke Brooks backs Lachlan Galvin and the Tigers to get on with business now that the young star has moved on

Former Wests Tigers playmaker Luke Brooks says it was the “smart decision” for the club to part ways with Lachlan Galvin given the contract saga would have become a messy distraction for both parties if it was allowed to fester. The Bulldogs confirmed last week that Galvin had joined the club effective immediately until the end of the 2028 season after the young five-eighth informed the Tigers earlier this year that he wouldn’t entertain the idea of re-signing beyond 2026. The contract mess led to Galvin being dropped to NSW Cup for a game before he returned to the NRL side the following week. Galvin is now in line to make his Bulldogs debut next Monday against the Eels who were also after his signature. Brooks spent 11 seasons at the Tigers but informed the club in 2023 that he would leave at the end of the year to take up a lucrative deal with Manly. He’s seen the toll contract negotiations can have on young stars at the club, and he hopes both Galvin and the Tigers can move on swiftly now that it’s all sorted. “I think the smart decision was made for them to part ways,” he told the NewsWire. “It would have been a distraction if it went for another year. It’s good for both parties. “I don’t know too much about what’s going on, but looking at it, I feel like he’s handled it really well for a 19-year-old. “Not many guys that age can go through that with all the media pressure and so much noise going on. “He still came out and played some good footy. There’ll still be some news going on around him, but after a few weeks playing for the Bulldogs, hopefully that goes away and he can focus on playing good footy. “He’s a great player and he’s a good young kid as well. Hopefully, it works out for him.” While Galvin has been the talk of the town lately, a man at the opposite end of his career has also been in the headlines with chat around whether Queensland captain Daly Cherry-Evans should keep his spot in the team. The veteran halfback has been a loyal servant for the Maroons throughout his illustrious career, but there have been calls for Tom Dearden to replace him following the game one defeat. Cherry-Evans put the disappointment behind him to star with three try assists as Manly bounced back to thrash the Broncos on Saturday night, with the skipper showing he still has it just days after copping a tough loss in Brisbane. “When you have a big game like that (the Origin opener) and end up losing, I feel like you want to go out there and play straight away. He really led from the front,” Brooks said. “To be doing what he’s doing at his age by backing up three days later and then putting on a clinic, it just shows that he’s a great player. “There’s been a lot of noise, so to put that to the side and put on a performance was great. “I don’t think the halves were the problem (for Queensland). They lost to a good Blues side, so whatever way they go is up to them. “Hopefully, for his sake, he gets another crack.”