Newcastle legend Andrew Johns believes the Knights should try to get Lachlan Galvin on the books for the remainder of this NRL season.
The 19-year-old playmaker is on the verge of being released by the Wests Tigers after a board meeting this week.
It will bring an end to the ugly relationship between club and player that came to a head when Galvin rejected a lucrative contract extension last month.
READ MORE: Ange creates history with epic European title win
READ MORE: ‘Love you brother’: Joel Selwood’s heartbreaking tribute
READ MORE: Gould’s emphatic call on teen prodigy after intriguing sight
He is contracted to the end of 2026 but will reportedly be cut loose in the coming days, allowing him to join another club immediately.
While he is widely tipped to sign with either the Eels or Bulldogs from next season, it is unknown where he could play the rest of 2025.
Wests Tigers young gun Lachlan Galvin. Getty
Johns wants it to be in the Hunter.
“If it was for this year I think Newcastle would put their hand up,” Johns told Nine’s Freddy and the Eighth.
“I don’t know what’s happening with our (salary) cap, or whether they can do a swap with any players… There’s been a lot of talk about Kai Pearce-Paul going to the Tigers.
“Newcastle is struggling with that stability in the halves. There would have to be some sort of swap, (the Tigers) wouldn’t just let him go.”
Watch the 2025 NRL premiership live and free on Nine and 9Now.
NRL clubs must have a full complement of 30 players signed before the start of July. The total squad can be 35 including five development players.
Any club that wanted to bring Galvin on board mid-season could not have more than 34 currently on their books.
Kai Pearce-Paul of the Knights. Getty
The Knights have 35 players listed on their website already.
Off-contract English backrower Pearce-Paul is rumoured to be on his way out of the club, while halfback Jackson Hastings has not played an NRL game this season and appears to be frozen out of the team.
Hastings is one of five halves on Newcastle’s roster and coach Adam O’Brien has failed to nail down a winning combination.
The Knights have signed Eels five-eighth Dylan Brown on a rich contract from next season but Johns says the team could benefit from adding Galvin this year.
He is earning about $350,000 from the Tigers this season and so a rival club would only need to chip in roughly half that to acquire his services until the end of October.
League legend Brad Fittler reckons the teen talent won’t be short on offers.
“A lot of clubs would take him,” Fittler said.
“He’s 20 years old, he’s a quality player. He plays with a lot of confidence, lives a good lifestyle.
“He’s a good kid, lovely kid to have around. There would be plenty of clubs looking for him.”
Galvin has played 31 NRL games for the Tigers since making his debut in round two last year.
