Cameron Ciraldo, the Bulldogs’ coach, expressed his frustrations following a disappointing 22-18 defeat to the Broncos after his team held an 18-0 lead. In a post-match interview, he declined to confirm who would play in the halves next week, following the late inclusion of Lachlan Galvin to team up with Toby Sexton, which resulted in Matt Burton shifting to centre.
This adjustment raised questions about the team dynamic, particularly since Burton and Sexton’s earlier performances had helped propel the Bulldogs to second place on the NRL ladder. Despite Galvin assisting in a try during the first half, he struggled with his passing, and the team was unable to secure the victory.
Ciraldo defended his decision to start Galvin at five-eighth, citing a shortage of available players, particularly with Kiraz being selected as the 18th man for the Blues. He explained that the original plan involved Burton also playing a role as 18th man, but when circumstances changed, they faced limitations in the outside backs. Burton had experience playing in the centres, and he opted to focus solely on that position, which proved effective in the first half.
When pressed about Galvin’s future in the starting line-up, Ciraldo mentioned he hadn’t yet considered next week’s decisions, needing to review the game thoroughly. While he acknowledged positives from the first half, he stressed the need to learn from their previous week’s mistakes, as the team failed to improve in certain key areas they had practised.
Ciraldo also expressed dissatisfaction with the team’s overall attacking performance, indicating a need for improvement in that area throughout the season. He noted the club is still searching for the right combination, especially with recent player turnover. He highlighted the importance of quickly learning lessons, as the team had not done so effectively from their earlier mistakes.
Furthermore, Ciraldo pointed out that the Bulldogs were often guilty of trying to force plays rather than maintaining patience, especially as the Broncos’ defence tightened in the second half. He emphasised the need to ask the right questions on the field and focus on controlling the game instead of looking for a quick win, which ultimately backfired on them during the match.