Lachlan Galvin is officially a Bulldog after the spiteful saga involving the rising playmaker and the Wests Tigers finally came to an end.
Galvin has inked a deal with Canterbury that will take him through until the end of the 2028 NRL campaign.
The teenager became headline news early last month when his decision to knock back a lucrative deal from the Tigers was made public.
Galvin asserted that he felt he needed to leave Concord in order to continue his development, with the decision kick-starting a period of animosity at the club.
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Lachlan Galvin officially joins the Bulldogs after messy Tigers exit
Parramatta was positioned as the frontrunner for his signature once the Tigers revealed he would move on. Yet Canterbury eventually stole a march on their rivals to secure the signature of the five-eighth.
Dogs supremo Phil Gould came under fire this week for his handling of the situation, which could still force several previously pivotal players out of the door.
But Gould will be content that he got his man in the end after speaking glowingly of Galvin’s talents in the past.
After weeks of speculation, Galvin's future was made clear during a whirlwind day on Friday.
Firstly, the 19-year-old was pictured training in a Dogs jersey in the morning, with the pictures confirming what had long since been reported - Gould had won the race for Galvin.
But in keeping with the messy nature of the move, the covert clip which was posted on social media arrived before the Tigers had officially announced his exit.
At knocking-off time, the Tigers confirmed Galvin’s immediate departure with a statement devoid of any warmth.
"We wish Lachlan all the best with another NRL club," Tigers supremo Shane Richardson said while clearly channelling Kevin Walters’ infamous old ‘don’t mention NSW’ approach.
Galvin himself offered his thanks to the club. But not for handing him the chance as a teenager to debut in the NRL. Instead, he expressed his gratitude for allowing him to leave.
"I am grateful to the Wests Tigers board and management for granting my early release," Galvin stated.
"I wish the playing group success in the future."
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The story has been a main talking point ever since Galvin's rejection of a long-term deal from the Tigers circulated in mid-April.
"I totally understand my decision will frustrate many Wests Tigers fans, but please know that it wasn't an easy call to make," Galvin said at the time.
"The biggest reason why I made this call now is so that the Wests Tigers have enough time to plan their roster without me in the future. That's the absolute truth of it."
"I feel that as I move into an important period of my development as a half, I continue to build my game at a different club," Galvin explained ahead of his premature exit.
"Again, I know this might be hard for some people to understand, but I make this decision in the best interests of my career."
Benji Marshall was placed under the microscope following Galvin’s assertion that he felt his development would be better served away from the coach.
And amidst the fallout, which also included claims of bullying from senior players at the club, Marshall dropped Galvin to reserve grade.
However, his time with the Western Suburbs Magpies proved to be brief, as he was recalled for the next game.
Yet the axe came down on him again ahead of Round 13, with Marshall naming Heath Mason in the No.6 jersey for their trip up to Townsville.
Three days later, his departure from the club was finalised.
"Canterbury are pleased to announce the signing of Lachlan Galvin, effective immediately," the Dogs noted within a few hours of the Tigers' statement.
"Galvin arrives to Belmore with 31 NRL games under his belt since making his first-grade debut in 2024 and has notched up a total of 24 try assists, while also averaging over 120 running metres per game.
"The club is thrilled to welcome Lachlan to the Bulldogs family."