‘Disrespected’: Unwarranted fall guy in Dogs’ halves turmoil as shock Gus explanation revealed

The Bulldogs’ halves conundrum is claiming an unwarranted victim, who could be ousted from the club — Matt Burton.

In the last two weeks, Burton has been shifted out of the halves in favour of skipper Stephen Crichton and halfback Sean O’Sullivan, moving into the centres to provide threat out wide.

In Round 4, the change was made to spark a stuttering attack, but last week it came after an injury to Crichton, with Ciraldo opting to inject O’Sullivan, not Bronson Xerri into the game.

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Burton’s future has been shrouded in mystery in recent months, with the gun five-eighth being linked with a move to the Perth Bears despite being contracted until the end of 2027.

The Bulldogs have let a host of players go under Ciraldo and Phil Gould, with the likes of Reed Mahoney and Toby Sexton allowed to depart.

Xerri has also been rumoured to be unhappy at the club and angling for an immediate release, and Fox League’s Paul Crawley couldn’t believe Burton’s name had been floated for a move.

“If you’ve got two players on the open market tomorrow and you’ve got to win a game of football. You put Matt Burton there and Lachlan Galvin,” he said on NRL360 on Tuesday night.

“And you’ve got to pick a six out of one of those, Burton is the bloke I’d take. I still think Burton is the best half in that combination.

“If Galvin is pushing for the No.7 spot with Sean O’Sullivan, that’s well and good. But it continues to be that Burton is the one that is shuffled around to make Galvin happy.”

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According to The Daily Telegraph’s David Riccio, Burton and his management had no concerns with his positional switches, nor the rumours linking him with an exit.

“It’s completely an open communication between the Bulldogs and Burton on the role that you’re going to play within this team to get the result,” Riccio said.

“He’s not disgruntled…. he’s a versatile footballer who can play six or centre. At this stage, he is the starting six.”

NRL360 host Braith Anasta then asked if Burton has been “disrespected” by being the scapegoat in a stuttering halves pairing.

And Crawley was certain Burton would be hearing the rumblings, especially now he has become the first man to shift out of the spine.

“How does that not play on his mind? How does it not? The talk is in the public,” Crawley said.

“Of course it plays on your mind, there is this constant chatter in the public forum about Matt Burton ultimately being the one that will be moved on.

“Now he has been moved out of his choice of positions… I just think the guy who should be holding the card is being rissoled.”

According to Gould, however, bringing O’Sullivan on against the Rabbitohs was intended to be a short-term solution before Burton returned to his playmaking duties.

Instead, Crichton’s injury was discovered to be worst than first thought — and as such, the Bulldogs had used all of their interchanges.

“Cameron’s (Ciraldo) used three bodies, he’s used (Lipoi) Hopoi, (Sitili) Tupouniua and (Kurt) Mann. Sean O’Sullivan is there to cover halves and hooker, if he puts Bronson on he can’t go and use Sean if one of those (players) go down,” Gould said on 100% Footy.

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“He was told Critta (Crichton) would be back in five minutes and thought ‘well I’m not putting Bronson out there for five minutes, I’ll put Sean on and then Sean can go and give Bailey Hayward a rest and Critta will be back’.

“Five minutes later the message comes that Critta’s not coming back and he’s already made the replacement.”

Regardless of that explanation, Riccio believes the O’Sullivan experiment could be coming to an end after he was handed a golden opportunity in Round 5.

“I agree with it, because I am a supporter of that make-up of the halves,” Riccio said.

“I thought it was a good move because I believed in O’Sullivan, but I think he botched it, he botched the opportunity.”

Braith Anasta was “not sold” on O’Sullivan, while Crawley said: “Understandably, he has been at several clubs throughout his career and he has struggled to nail down a spot”.