![\"Stephen](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/09f66cd9356dceefab79f61089b820d301fefc2f.jpeg\")
Stephen Crichton leaves the field injured.Getty Images<\/p>\nCanterbury captain Stephen Crichton suffered an AC shoulder injury in another unhappy outing for the Bulldogs in the traditional Good Friday clash against South Sydney, going down 32-24.<\/p>\n
Crichton suffered the injury just four minutes after half-time and was unable to return, despite attempts in the sheds to prove his fitness.<\/p>\n
The NSW centre is scheduled to undergo scans to determine the extent of the damage, but is unlikely to be available for Thursday\u2019s clash against the Panthers.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not looking great in there,\u201d Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo said of Crichton.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re saying it\u2019s a high-grade two, grade three possibly AC, that\u2019s the early thoughts on it.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019ll be out for a while, but it\u2019s an opportunity for someone else.\u201d <\/p>\n
Leading by a converted try at the time of Crichton\u2019s injury, the Bulldogs lost their composure and the lead in his absence. Neither were regained.<\/p>\n
Crichton\u2019s departure resulted in a backline reshuffle of Matt Burton to centre and the injection of Sean O\u2019Sullivan into the halves. There are some pundits that believe this is how the team should be configured all the time.<\/p>\n
Stephen Crichton leaves the field injured.Getty Images<\/p>\n
Ciraldo didn\u2019t blame Crichton\u2019s absence for an ill-disciplined second half performance.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnless he took the whistle off the referee, he couldn\u2019t have done much about the second half,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Perhaps pointedly, Bronson Xerri wasn\u2019t activated, despite being a like-for-like replacement for Crichton. Perhaps we will witness his NRL return next week.<\/p>\n
Canterbury didn\u2019t look likely without their skipper. This was a contest of shifting momentum, but the Bulldogs couldn\u2019t regain it when it mattered.<\/p>\n
![\"Cameron](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/331d797ad79ab3ac90a72aa1cd857d8de5bdfdfb.jpeg\")
Cameron Murray scores Getty Images<\/p>\n
Burton was back in the centres, but no one wanted to witness the shift under these circumstances. Like halves partner Lachlan Galvin, there has been ongoing speculation about his position.<\/p>\n
Assuming Crichton will be unavailable against Penrith, there will be an added level of intrigue when Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo names his next team on Tuesday afternoon.<\/p>\n
In matches like this it comes down to moments of individual brilliance, and the Rabbitohs had more of them. Like when Alex Johnston, loitering in the Bulldogs backline, grabbed an errant Connor Tracey pass and sprinted the length of the field. The records keep on tumbling: this was his 97th try in 99 games at Accor Stadium.<\/p>\n
And of course, Latrell Mitchell wouldn\u2019t be outdone. Having already scored in the opening half, he displayed silky skills with his second try. Travelling at pace and off balance, he reached down to his bootlaces to pick up a bouncing ball that would have evaded any other set of hands.<\/p>\n
It marks the Rabbitohs\u2019 seventh win from eight Good Friday encounters. Just when Bulldogs social media editors thought it was safe to turn the comments section back on.<\/p>\n
Little of the criticism found on the club\u2019s official Instagram or Facebook pages in recent days has been constructive, so we\u2019ll attempt to provide an appropriate pr\u00e9cis of their latest performance here.<\/p>\n
![\"Lachlan](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/db1aea05032c6b79644d484abe6ce10abd1d3e3f.jpeg\")
Lachlan Galvin celebrates scoring against the Rabbitohs.Getty Images<\/p>\n