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Remove items from your saved list<\/a> to add more.<\/p>\n AAA<\/p>\n The sight of Stephen Crichton lashing star playmaker Lachie Galvin after the Bulldogs conceded a try against the Dolphins summed up the frustrations bubbling away at Belmore \u2013 but it also served as proof the players are refusing to accept a drop in standards.<\/p>\n Eagle-eyed TV viewers would have spotted the Dogs skipper tearing strips off Galvin in back play after Dolphins half Kodi Nikorima strolled through for the easiest of tries in the second half last Thursday.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Teammates yelling at each other on the field happens most weeks in the NRL. But the sight of Crichton, one of the calmest leaders in the game, losing his cool at the young playmaker the Dogs have worked overtime to protect from external criticism illustrated how tense things have become at Belmore.<\/p>\n Canterbury are trying to avoid a fifth straight loss when they kick-start Magic Round against Cronulla on Friday, with coach Cameron Ciraldo set to resist wholesale changes \u2013 including shifting Crichton from centre.<\/p>\n The Bulldogs have leaked 100 more points than at this time last year, and look bereft of confidence.<\/p>\n Prop Max King completed training on Monday and looks set to return from a broken jaw suffered last month against Penrith, which was the club\u2019s last win.<\/p>\n Bulldogs teammates praised Crichton for his show of emotion, stressing it was nothing personal against Galvin. The skipper holding his teammate to account was exactly what the club needed, Bulldogs players said, if they were to salvage their season.<\/p>\n \u201cI wouldn\u2019t even call it anger, it\u2019s something we encourage at this club to hold each other to a high standard, and for everyone to coach each other,\u201d prop Leo Thompson said.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen those conversations happen, it\u2019s not something we take to heart. Lachie wouldn\u2019t have taken that to heart. We encourage self development \u2013 we want our peers to coach us.<\/p>\n \u201cLachie has heaps of talent. He\u2019s only young. I feel like his game is still building. In the Bulldogs system, and the way we train, he\u2019ll be that player everyone is expecting him to be.\u201d<\/p>\n Prop Harry Hayes added: \u201cThis is what we do at training if someone does something you don\u2019t like \u2013 you have these conversations that are healthy; it\u2019s constructive criticism. I\u2019m only in my second full year, but it\u2019s pretty cool to have him [Crichton] as our leader, knowing what he\u2019s done, and what he\u2019s doing for us.\u201d<\/p>\n Ciraldo made a point of singling out some soft decisions in defence on the edges, and said after the Dolphins loss: \u201cI think our forwards are working their arses off, trying really hard\u2026 then on the edges we either decide to not stay in the system, or decide to not put our body on the line \u2013 and it costs us.\u201d<\/p>\n Some pundits have called for Crichton to shift to either fullback or five-eighth, but he trained at right centre, with Matt Burton \u2013 a late scratching against the Dolphins because of illness \u2013 slotting back into the halves.<\/p>\n Related Article Thompson was brought to the club as their big-money front-row recruit, but is yet to sing the team song after four appearances. The New Zealand international said he was increasing his minutes each week after being struck down with a calf injury \u2013 which followed a quad injury on the same right leg \u2013 and was keen to go head-to-head with potential NSW wrecking ball Addin Fonua-Blake.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Jacob Kiraz continued to train away from the main group as he closes in on as return from a knee injury.<\/p>\n News, results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport sent every Monday. Sign up for our Sport newsletter<\/a>.<\/p>\n Save<\/p>\n You have reached your maximum number of saved items.<\/p>\n![\"Stephen](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/3304f252985be8e946a31e8ed81f8e30621d89b6.jpeg\")
Stephen Crichton and Lachie Galvin after the Bulldogs\u2019 defeat to the Dolphins.NRL Photos<\/p>\n![\"Dylan](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/dab9a015ed73b8609c19804aa0300a88a2b21ee0.jpeg\")
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