The last halfback to lead the Bulldogs to a grand final says he’d like to see a genuine playmaker brought in to lead the team, with Trent Hodkinson calling on Sean O’Sullivan or youngster Mitchell Woods to be given a shot in the No.7 jersey.

Trent Hodkinson did some terrific things in the blue and white jersey, with the former NSW hero helping them reach the 2014 Grand Final just months after he and halves partner Josh Reynolds ended Queensland’s State of Origin streak.

The pair worked so well together because Hodkinson was the chief playmaker who controlled the game with his kicking which allowed Reynolds to play off the cuff.

The partnership ended after the 2015 season when Hodkinson was squeezed out of the club, with the Bulldogs scoring the fewest points out of any top eight team in 2016 with Reynolds and Moses Mbye in the halves.

Hodkinson has noticed something similar going on this season with Lachlan Galvin and Matt Burton both five-eighths in his eyes which has seen them lack direction in attack and has led to them scoring the second-fewest points in the league.

Immortal Andrew Johns has called for Galvin to shift to five-eighth, and Hodkinson agrees, calling on the experienced O’Sullivan to play there, while Woods is also an option once he returns from injury.

“It reminded me of 2015 when it was myself, Josh Reynolds and Moses Mbye, and three couldn’t go into two. I got pushed out of the club (but) I truly believe Moses and Josh were two five-eighths,” he said, suggesting Galvin could also play lock.

“(It’s a) similar situation now. I know Lachie’s been playing seven and he played a really good game the other week (against Penrith) but I feel like they’re very similar players.

“Toby Sexton (who left the club last year) was a genuine seven, and you’ve got O’Sullivan there who’s a genuine seven.

“I’m not the coach there and Ciraldo gets paid the big money to make the decisions, but I’d even like to see young ‘Woodsy’. We had him last year in the 19s (Origin team) and he’s a genuine seven.

“I haven’t seen him too much the last 6-8 months with how he’s going physically, but he’d be more than capable to step up.

“With the Dogs at the moment, they’ve just got to find their groove. There might be a little bit of toing and froing at times, but I’m confident Lachie showed that he could do it against Penrith, so he’s just got to be a little bit more consistent in that way and see how they go.

“He can also play lock – he’s a big body as well – so we’ll see how that pans out.”

Some people will argue that the six and seven are simply numbers on the back of jerseys, but Hodkinson disagrees.

“I still think they’re unique positions, I really do,” he said.

“You’ve got to have that one dominant half and that guy that steers them around the field. They’re similar at times but I think they’re still separate positions.

“You’ve got a seven, a halfback, and you’ve got a six, a five-eighth. As much as they’re compared to being very similar, they’re still very different in a way.”

Woods turns 20 next month and there are doubts over whether he is ready for the NRL, but Hodkinson – who was part of the NSW under-19s Origin coaching staff – says the only way you can find out is by picking him.

“You probably don’t know until you give them a crack and get out there and then they’ve just got to figure it out themselves,” he said of young playmakers.

“I’m sure there’s plenty of eyes at the Dogs or at multiple clubs that know when these young fellas are ready to make the step. It’s exciting, there are some really good, talented young halves coming through and I’m excited to see how they all go.”

Originally published as ‘Two five-eighths’: Trent Hodkinson calls for the Bulldogs to make a change in the halves to fix their attacking woes