The NRL 360 panel have discussed a proposal put forward by Matty Johns for the Bulldogs to move Lachlan Galvin to five-eighth, allowing Toby Sexton to return at halfback as the club gears up for its finals campaign.
The move would see five-eighth Matt Burton shift to the centres.
Canterbury have won 12 of their 16 games (75%) this season with Sexton at halfback.
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However, their win percentage drops to 50% with Galvin as halfback this season, with the Bulldogs winning just four of their eight games.
Giving the idea further merit is the Bulldogs’ injury crisis in the outside backs.
Centre Bronson Xerri (concussion) will miss the qualifying final against the Storm, as will winger Marcelo Montoya (ankle).
Winger Jacob Kiraz also has a foot injury but he has been named in the extended squad and is a chance to return in that game.
With the Bulldogs hit hard by injuries in the backs, they could use a player like Burton in the centres.
Like Kiraz, Sexton is in the Bulldogs’ reserves, leaving the door open for him to be a late inclusion in the team.
The panel’s views on the idea were mixed.
“Matty Johns suggested putting Sexton at seven, so he’s actually saying that they could move him, Galvin to six, and Burton to the centres,” host Braith Anasta said.
“Sexton as the seven, definitely,” reporter Paul Crawley said in response to Anasta.
“The kicking game of Burton is a big thing.
“He (Galvin) hasn’t got the different parts to his game that the champion halfbacks that we’re going to see in this finals series, he hasn’t got that at the moment.
“It could work, but Burton in the centres? I don’t know.”
Anasta pointed out that Galvin’s game is more suited to five-eighth rather than halfback.
“One thing about Galvin, technically, is his kicking game isn’t great,” Anasta added.
“He’s got to work on his kicking game.
“His short kicking game is pretty good but even on the weekend he didn’t quite get that right.
“Long kicking game he needs to work on.
“But he’s not a seven. He’s trying to turn into a seven and he hasn’t played seven. He’s a six.”
Reporter Dean Ritchie wondered whether recalling Sexton would be a concession from coach Cameron Ciraldo that he made the wrong decision.
“If they bring Sexton back, is that an admission that Ciraldo got it wrong?” Ritchie asked.
Anasta said there’s no denying those in charge at the Bulldogs would be second guessing themselves after a late regular season slide which saw them lose three of their last four games, with their only win in that period coming against a seriously weakened Panthers side that were resting 16 players.
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“We’ve got doubt now,” Anasta said.
“You can’t think for a second that Ciraldo, Gus, and their own players don’t have doubt now after their last couple of months.
“You can’t tell me there’s not self doubt in all of their minds over their last couple of months, just as there is on this panel and just as there is for their fans.
“You can’t deny what’s happened here. You really can’t.”
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