Second-year draftee Harvey Gallagher has finally found his spot with the Western Bulldogs, picking up the Rising Star nomination in his third game for the club.
Taking on West Coast in Round 3, the 39th pick in the 2022 National Draft impressed in varying roles, collecting 16 disposals and kicking two goals to contribute to a 76-point demolition of the Eagles.
Having debuted in Round 1 against Melbourne, Gallagher has played all three games this year, with the Bendigo product now a mainstay of a Bulldogs team which has won two in a row and looks to push on with a promising year ahead.
Ahead of their Saturday night clash against an undefeated Geelong outfit, Gallagher has identified his revamped mindset toward the new season which has been integral to his early successes.
“I didn’t take myself too seriously this summer, the summer before I was very uptight and worried about everything I was doing,” he said on SEN’s Dwayne’s World.
“I still have to have a balance between work life and life away from footy, striking that balance has really helped me.
“I moved in with some mates from home outside of footy, it helped not travelling back and forth from Bendigo to play.
“It takes my mind off footy and allows me to relax when I’m away from the club.”
Gallagher has been vocal of his admiration for Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge, with the former half-back enjoying more freedom in trialling different roles around the ground.
The versatile youngster, who impressed in the midfeld and up forward last weekend, now keeps an open mind and presents a strong desire to do what’s necessary for the team’s needs.
“Bevo’s been awesome,” added Gallagher.
“Once I started stringing a few games together he instilled a lot of confidence in me and backed my ability.
“I don’t really mind where I play, in the last three games I’ve played in every line - back, wing and forward… I don’t really mind where I play.
“Hopefully as a team we can keep going, it certainly brings the vibes up.”
Riding the momentum of a two-game winning streak, the Dogs are poised for a crucial showdown against a formidable Cats side that sits fourth on the ladder, presenting a golden opportunity to showcase their potential for the 2024 season.
