Matt Burton was one of a number of Bulldogs players who endured a tough week and didn’t actually train before their 44-14 NRL win over the Dragons on Saturday night. Jacob Preston had to be hospitalised with an elbow infection that required an IV drip, while a number of players had Covid-19 and were still showing symptoms on Saturday.
And Burton missed training to travel back to his hometown of Dubbo after the death of his grandmother Christine. Burton scored two tries in the thrashing of the Dragons that kept the Bulldogs just two points adrift of the top eight.
It was a difficult week for Matt Burton and his family. Image: Channel 9/NRL
On both occasions he kissed the strapping on his wrist that had his grandma’s name written on it and pointed to the sky. Teammates were quick to get around him after the first try, with Lachie Galvin even planting a kiss on Burton’s head.
“She was always supporting me through the younger grades and all that, so she was definitely watching over me tonight,” Burton told AAP after the game. “It was a shock to our family but it was good to come out tonight and get the win for her.”
Fans sent messages of support to Burton on social media after the news was revealed after the game. The star centre said there was “no question” he was going to play despite the difficult week for his family.
Jacob Preston spent time in hospital
As well as dealing with headlines about where his future might lie, Preston was also forced to spend some time in hospital before the game. He wore a heavy protective sleeve on his elbow against the Dragons. “He actually didn’t train with us the last two days, he was in hospital,” coach Cameron Ciraldo said after full-time.
Matt Burton pointed to the sky after both of his tries against the Dragons. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)
Winger Jacob Kiraz only just returned to midweek training after playing with a torn calf for almost a month. It’s the other calf to the one he tore earlier this season, but managed to keep it a secret and play without the aid of pain-killing injections.
“I’m just staying at it,” Kiraz said. “I don’t know if it’s the Leb food … it must be something. I don’t know what it is. Maybe it’s the prayers.”
Ciraldo said: “It’s not ideal, but it just shows the toughness of the guy. These things happen in a footy season. Every team goes through them. A lot of them you don’t hear about.”