The Bulldogs secured a Round 1 victory in Las Vegas but a big “question mark” still remains over Cameron Ciraldo’s halves after a telling moment in the dying stages of the clash.
With just under four minutes on the clock, and the scores sitting level, Lachlan Galvin and Matt Burton had several opportunities to set up for a crucial field goal against the Dragons.
However, Canterbury instead opted to run the ball and luckily went on to win the contest in golden point with Stephen Crichton the player stepping up to secure the win with a crucial kick.
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According to NRL360 host Braith Anasta, the fact neither Galvin or Burton nailed that moment was a cause for concern.
“This is what stood out to me and this is the question mark I have over the halves, being genuine sevens or sixes,” Anasta explained on NRL360 on Tuesday night.
“Four-and-a-half minutes to go, ever since I was 12 as a half, I am not being disrespectful, if the score is level and there is less than five minutes to go, I am setting up for a field goal.
“I just am, there is no other (way)… this is the big one here, they get to a good position. Galvin takes the hit-up, Burton doesn’t even look for it on play four.
“Again they get to another spot where Galvin and Burton could set up, they aren’t even looking for the field goal.
“This to me, I don’t want to be too harsh because I thought both played well… but this is their job, in this moment… this was the perfect opportunity to take an easy field goal.”
The Bulldogs halves copped consistent criticism to close out the 2025 season, with Ciraldo’s outfit lacking direction in crucial moments.
Ultimately, they bowed out of last year’s finals series in straight sets — and the spotlight was firmly placed on Galvin and Burton as a halves pairing.
For Fox League’s Paul Crawley, the Bulldogs have plans beyond Burton and Galvin that will place them in a premiership window.
“Yes Lachie Galvin was great in the first half and Matt Burton was terrific in the second half, but what we spoke about all last year continues to be the theme,” he said.
“If you didn’t have all this controversy coming out about the Dragons being robbed about the refs, this is the big issue coming out of that game.
“You’ve still got, I don’t care what they try and tell you, they’ve still got two genuine five-eighths trying to team up.
“That moment where you’ve got four minutes to go and you don’t set up, they have no one taking charge of the team.
“What happened last year threatens to happen this year. Sure in time Lachie Galvin, give him 40 to 60 games as a halfback, he will probably develop.
“But I don’t think that’s their plan. I think their plan is to bring through Mitchell Woods as their No.7 and they have also got (Sean) O’Sullivan sitting there.
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‘There was nothing there’ Anasta | 01:38
“So do they want to win the comp this year and is this their best options as their halves pairing?”
In answering that question, The Daily Telegraph’s David Riccio was asked if rising star Mitchell Woods was ready should he be called upon to be an NRL halfback.
The 19-year-old is a highly touted playmaker, but has played only nine reserve grade games to date and has had a disrupted pre-season due to multiple niggling injuries.
“He’s certainly not ready now,” Riccio said.
“There’s no doubt there’s a full belief he will get there, but I don’t see that as being the next best option, I think it would be Sean O’Sullivan.
“I think he would be the next half to step in should they decide to shuffle this spine.”
So could the Bulldogs shuffle their spine should the cracks begin to widen? Crawley was of the belief their final trial highlighted exactly what they were missing.
It also handed Ciraldo the evidence needed to make a big call.
“It was interesting too, their final trial and Burton went off the field. O’Sullivan came on and it was almost instant he took charge of that team,” Crawley said.
“That’s what he does, he hasn’t got Galvin’s flare and he hasn’t got his talent, but he is just a natural seven. That seems to be what they’re lacking.
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“So will they swallow their pride?”
Riccio responded: “Well that’s their decision, but I think that is a better option. O’Sullivan running the team with his experience.
“Galvin playing six and find a spot for Matt (Burton) at centre or fullback.”
However, Crawley took a different approach and floated the idea of dropping one of the club’s most high-profile recruits.
“If I was picking the team at the moment, I’d rather Burton staying in the team at six and moving Galvin, even if you bring in O’Sullivan,” he said.
“I still reckon at this stage of his development, this is not a crack at Galvin as a player… but at this stage I think Burton offers more than Galvin.”
Braith Anasta also raised an interesting point regarding the Bulldogs roster movement, with traditional halfback Toby Sexton released from his contract to join the Catalans Dragons.
Sexton had led the Bulldogs admirably before he was ousted from the No.7 jersey, and to shuffle Galvin out of the halfback position would be a “full circle” moment.
“You’re kind of back where you started,” Anasta said of the halves cycle, given O’Sullivan fits a similar mould to that of Sexton.
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