Toby Sexton is facing the prospect of being axed from his starting halfback role at the Bulldogs, with Stephen Crichton hoping to make a miraculous return for Sunday’s NRL semi-final against Penrith. Crichton suffered an ankle injury in Canterbury’s loss to Melbourne last weekend that looked set to rule him out against the Panthers.
But coach Cameron Ciraldo sprung a shock by naming the Origin star on his extended bench this week. And Crichton has been working around the clock in a bid to prove his fitness for the Panthers clash, after scans cleared him of a syndesmosis of Lisfranc injury, meaning he’s simply dealing with ligament damage.
If Stephen Crichton returns for the Bulldogs’ NRL semi-final against Penrith, it would force a reshuffle that could see Toby Sexton lose his starting spot at halfback. Pic: Getty
Crichton is considered a long-shot to play but former Bulldogs premiership winner Braith Anasta says word out of the club is that he’s closer to a return than originally thought. “I am hearing he is a bigger chance to play than most people think,” Anasta said on NRL 360.
And veteran league reporter Brent Read claimed that Crichton’s inclusion would likely spark a backline reshuffle that would ultimately see Sexton lose his spot at halfback. “If Crichton plays, (Matt) Burton goes to No.6, (Lachie) Galvin to No.7, Bailey Hayward at hooker and Toby Sexton on the bench,” Read said on NRL 360.
“That means Reed Mahoney won’t be in the team if Crichton plays. If Crichton doesn’t play, Burton shifts to the centres, Galvin to No.6 and Sexton to No.7 and Mahoney potentially starts the game with Hayward on the bench because it gives them a bit more versatility.”
Toby Sexton has been named to start at halfback for the Bulldogs’ NRL semi-final against Penrith. Pic: Getty
Sexton’s potential demotion to the bench would be a fresh blow to the halfback, who was axed from the starting side after Galvin’s mid-season switch. Many critics reckon the Bulldogs are a better side with Sexton at No.7, and their ladder-leading form in the first half of the season backs up that argument.
Sexton provided the spark for the Dogs when he came off the bench in last week’s tense 26-18 loss to the Storm. The crafty playmaker scored a crucial try and helped straighten up Canterbury in attack and simplify things for the outside backs.
Stephen Crichton pushing hard for unlikely finals return
But Sexton may have to settle for an interchange role again, if Crichton can make a miraculous return for the Penrith showdown. The Dogs skipper will be given until the captain’s run on Saturday afternoon to prove his fitness, after which the squad will be trimmed to 19.
RELATED:
According to The Daily Telegraph, Crichton has been doing everything in his power to expedite his recovery – even forgoing sleep. Leading reporter David Riccio revealed Crichton has “barely left” the club’s headquarters at Belmore, and has been working around the clock with club physiotherapist Adrian Low in a bid to play.
Stephen Crichton has been working around the clock to try and recover from an ankle injury in time for Canterbury’s semi-final against Penrith. Pic: Getty
Crichton would likely need pain-killing injections if he were to feature against Penrith. But as former NRL star Bryan Fletcher explained this week, that would run the risk of Crichton doing further damage to the ankle and potentially ruling him out of the prelim final if Canterbury beat the Panthers on Sunday.
“It’s just a sprained ankle so you can needle them,” Fletcher told SEN radio. “But there’s the danger if they do happen to upset Penrith, there’s an even bigger game next week. I know it’s an elimination game so you might as well risk it, but what if he just needs a week off and can come back (in the prelim if they win)?”
The Bulldogs will be boosted by the return of Bronson Xerri from concussion for the Panthers semi-final. Jethro Rinakama keeps his wing spot and Jacob Kiraz has been named after playing with pain-killing injections after making an earlier-than-expected return from his own ankle injury.