![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/poster-fallback.png\"\/)
<\/p>\nThe Bulldogs secured a Round 1 victory in Las Vegas but a big \u201cquestion mark\u201d still remains over Cameron Ciraldo\u2019s halves after a telling moment in the dying stages of the clash.<\/p>\n
With just under four minutes on the clock, and the scores sitting level, Lachlan Galvin and Matt Burton had several opportunities to set up for a crucial field goal against the Dragons.<\/p>\n
However, Canterbury instead opted to run the ball and luckily went on to win the contest in golden point with Stephen Crichton the player stepping up to secure the win with a crucial kick.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
WHAT’S GAMBLING REALLY COSTING YOU? Set a deposit limit. For Free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au.<\/p>\n
Watch every game of every round of the Premiership Season LIVE with no ad-breaks during play on FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1.<\/a><\/p>\n According to NRL360 host Braith Anasta, the fact neither Galvin or Burton nailed that moment was a cause for concern.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is what stood out to me and this is the question mark I have over the halves, being genuine sevens or sixes,\u201d Anasta explained on NRL360 on Tuesday night.<\/p>\n \u201cFour-and-a-half minutes to go, ever since I was 12 as a half, I am not being disrespectful, if the score is level and there is less than five minutes to go, I am setting up for a field goal.<\/p>\n \u201cI just am, there is no other (way)… this is the big one here, they get to a good position. Galvin takes the hit-up, Burton doesn\u2019t even look for it on play four.<\/p>\n \u201cAgain they get to another spot where Galvin and Burton could set up, they aren\u2019t even looking for the field goal.<\/p>\n \u201cThis to me, I don\u2019t want to be too harsh because I thought both played well… but this is their job, in this moment… this was the perfect opportunity to take an easy field goal.\u201d<\/p>\n The Bulldogs halves copped consistent criticism to close out the 2025 season, with Ciraldo\u2019s outfit lacking direction in crucial moments.<\/p>\n Lachlan Galvin of the Bulldogs looks on during the round one NRL match between Canterbury Bulldogs and St George Illawarra Dragons.Source: AFP<\/p>\n Ultimately, they bowed out of last year\u2019s finals series in straight sets \u2014 and the spotlight was firmly placed on Galvin and Burton as a halves pairing.<\/p>\n For Fox League\u2019s Paul Crawley, the Bulldogs have plans beyond Burton and Galvin that will place them in a premiership window.<\/p>\n \u201cYes Lachie Galvin was great in the first half and Matt Burton was terrific in the second half, but what we spoke about all last year continues to be the theme,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you didn\u2019t have all this controversy coming out about the Dragons being robbed about the refs, this is the big issue coming out of that game.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ve still got, I don\u2019t care what they try and tell you, they\u2019ve still got two genuine five-eighths trying to team up.<\/p>\n \u201cThat moment where you\u2019ve got four minutes to go and you don\u2019t set up, they have no one taking charge of the team.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat happened last year threatens to happen this year. Sure in time Lachie Galvin, give him 40 to 60 games as a halfback, he will probably develop.<\/p>\n \u201cBut I don\u2019t think that\u2019s their plan. I think their plan is to bring through Mitchell Woods as their No.7 and they have also got (Sean) O\u2019Sullivan sitting there.<\/p>\n Get all the latest news, highlights and analysis delivered straight to your inbox with Fox Sports NRL Sportmail. Sign up now!!! <\/a><\/p>\n ‘There was nothing there’ Anasta | 01:38<\/p>\n \u201cSo do they want to win the comp this year and is this their best options as their halves pairing?\u201d<\/p>\n In answering that question, The Daily Telegraph\u2019s David Riccio was asked if rising star Mitchell Woods was ready should he be called upon to be an NRL halfback.<\/p>\n The 19-year-old is a highly touted playmaker, but has played only nine reserve grade games to date and has had a disrupted pre-season due to multiple niggling injuries.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s certainly not ready now,\u201d Riccio said.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s no doubt there\u2019s a full belief he will get there, but I don\u2019t see that as being the next best option, I think it would be Sean O\u2019Sullivan.<\/p>\n \u201cI think he would be the next half to step in should they decide to shuffle this spine.\u201d<\/p>\n So could the Bulldogs shuffle their spine should the cracks begin to widen? Crawley was of the belief their final trial highlighted exactly what they were missing.<\/p>\n It also handed Ciraldo the evidence needed to make a big call.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was interesting too, their final trial and Burton went off the field. O\u2019Sullivan came on and it was almost instant he took charge of that team,\u201d Crawley said.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s what he does, he hasn\u2019t got Galvin\u2019s flare and he hasn\u2019t got his talent, but he is just a natural seven. That seems to be what they\u2019re lacking.<\/p>\n MORE NRL NEWS<\/p>\n SAGA OVER: Shock end to Lomax drama as Eels teammate\u2019s fatal snub revealed<\/a><\/p>\n \u2018JUST FOUND OUT\u2019: Ryles reacts to big Lomax call<\/a><\/p>\n PLAYER SWAP: What every club could offer for Lomax<\/a><\/p>\n \u2018CALLED WAYNE STRAIGHT AWAY\u2019: Pros and cons list that decided Bunnies star\u2019s future<\/a><\/p>\n ‘A win for the contract system’ Crawley | 00:49<\/p>\n \u201cSo will they swallow their pride?\u201d<\/p>\n Riccio responded: \u201cWell that\u2019s their decision, but I think that is a better option. O\u2019Sullivan running the team with his experience.<\/p>\n \u201cGalvin playing six and find a spot for Matt (Burton) at centre or fullback.\u201d<\/p>\n However, Crawley took a different approach and floated the idea of dropping one of the club\u2019s most high-profile recruits.<\/p>\n \u201cIf I was picking the team at the moment, I\u2019d rather Burton staying in the team at six and moving Galvin, even if you bring in O\u2019Sullivan,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cI still reckon at this stage of his development, this is not a crack at Galvin as a player… but at this stage I think Burton offers more than Galvin.\u201d<\/p>\n Braith Anasta also raised an interesting point regarding the Bulldogs roster movement, with traditional halfback Toby Sexton released from his contract to join the Catalans Dragons.<\/p>\n Sexton had led the Bulldogs admirably before he was ousted from the No.7 jersey, and to shuffle Galvin out of the halfback position would be a \u201cfull circle\u201d moment.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re kind of back where you started,\u201d Anasta said of the halves cycle, given O\u2019Sullivan fits a similar mould to that of Sexton.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Bulldogs secured a Round 1 victory in Las Vegas but a big \u201cquestion mark\u201d still remains over…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":515955,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[568],"tags":[64,63,761,762,158,85],"class_list":["post-515954","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nrl","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-national-rugby-league","tag-nationalrugbyleague","tag-nrl","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/515954","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=515954"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/515954\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/515955"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=515954"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=515954"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=515954"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}