Veteran reporter Phil Rothfield has slammed Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo, accusing him of having “no self-reflection” and “no respect” for anyone who has questioned his controversial decisions this season.
The Bulldogs were on top of the ladder from Round 4 through until Round 16 this season, but their 2025 campaign fell apart, losing five of their last six games to crash out of the finals series in straight sets.
Their only victory during that period came in Round 26 against a Panthers side that were resting 16 players.
Watch every game of the NRL Telstra Premiership Finals Series before the Grand Final, LIVE with no ad-breaks during play on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1.
WHAT’S GAMBLING REALLY COSTING YOU? Set a deposit limit. For Free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au.
Canterbury suffered an embarrassing semi-final defeat against the Panthers on Sunday at Accor Stadium, trailing 36-8 at halftime before the Panthers went on to win 46-26.
Ciraldo’s two controversial selection decisions were replacing Toby Sexton with Lachlan Galvin at halfback in Round 20, and replacing Reed Mahoney with Bailey Hayward at hooker in Round 23.
In the end, Ciraldo backflipped on his decisions, reinstating Sexton as halfback for the final against the Panthers, and Mahoney as hooker.
This was triggered by an injury to skipper Stephen Crichton, which forced Matt Burton to shift to the centres.
Rothfield let fly at Ciraldo on NRL 360 on Monday night.
“I was a bit disappointed in Cameron’s press conference yesterday when he spoke about the crap that’s been in the media, the commentary around all the changes he’s made and the unsettling effect it’s had on his football side,” Rothfield said.
“Absolutely no self-reflection, absolutely no respect for anyone who has even challenged him.”
“He made too many changes. The players were confused. They lacked cohesion. Their defence even fell apart yesterday.”
Rothfield then had a heated exchange with fellow journalist Brent Read.
“Can you not understand the confusion in that football side when Mahoney’s in one week, three weeks on the bench, sacked, Bailey Hayward has three weeks, sacked, Reed Mahoney’s back in?” Rothfield asked Read.
“I just told you why that happened,” Read said in reply.
Rothfield went back at Read.
MORE NRL NEWS
RESSIES WRAP: Cobbo’s timely return; Tuaupiki masterclass sends Warriors to GF
CRAWLS: Ciraldo owes Dogs fans apology; dream clash is Broncos’ ‘worst nightmare’
TALKING POINTS: Cleary stunner as Broncos face dilemma; great’s Nicho warning
Dogs ‘In the long run. will be better’ | 01:44
“I’m sorry. I didn’t listen all that carefully,” Rothfield said.
“Because you’re not making a lot of sense.”
Read pointed out that Crichton’s injury forced the mass changes.
“They made the change because Stephen Crichton was out,” Read said.
“So Burton moved to the centres.”
But Rothfield doubled down.
“Hold on. They don’t change hookers when you lose a centre,” Rothfield said.
“Now don’t go on with that rubbish.
“You don’t change hookers when a centre pulls out.”
Read then went on the attack at Rothfield.
“Well they did,” Read said in response.
“You were calling for Reed Mahoney to be in the team.
“Now you’re saying they shouldn’t have brought Reed Mahoney in because it confused everyone.
“I’m confused by you.”
But Rothfield continued the debate.
“No, you’re making this up now,” Rothfield said.
“I suggested at the start of the year that Reed Mahoney needed to get the rubbish out of his game.
Cleary magic seals Bulldogs exit | 02:37
“He did. He should have stayed in the football side.
“He’s extremely popular with the players.
“You know he is. And Bailey Hayward, the week before, your hooker, missed 13 tackles. “That’s why he got dropped.”
Read believed Rothfield contradicted himself.
“So he brought him back into hooker but now you’re criticising them. Now you’re saying they’re confused,” Read said.
But host Braith Anasta, who played in the Bulldogs’ last premiership win back in 2004, felt that both Read and Rothfield were wide of the mark.
“You’re both missing the point here,” Anasta said.
“There’s so much of change and so much, no matter who plays where, no one knows who’s playing where.
“Look at their edges yesterday. Look at their defensive reads on the edges.
“They had no idea. They were not working as a unit – 42 missed tackles means that you are not playing as a team.
“And you’re not playing as a team because the team has changed so much over a long period of time that you actually end up losing belief and trust in each other because you don’t know who you’re playing next to.
Ciraldo: “We ran into a Champion team” | 06:02
“How could you sit here and say that those big significant decisions of a team coming first with a chance to win the competition, whether you think they could have or not, has not led to a team now that was losing 36 points to 8 at halftime in a final?”
Rothfield interjected.
“It’s their spine Ready,” he said.
But Read then pointed out that Ciraldo made the changes that Rothfield wanted, but the pair didn’t deliver against the Panthers.
“You wanted Sexton back in that team. You wanted Mahoney back in that team,” Read said.
“How did they play yesterday?”
But Rothfield wondered whether the pair’s “confidence might have been shattered” after they were dropped from the team.
“Do you think their confidence might have been shattered in the manner in which they were treated in Round 19 (when Sexton was dropped) and Round 23 (when Hayward replaced Mahoney)?” Rothfield asked.