If we can get one of these young guys to step up and play as a running 5/8 on the right side. (Wearing the number 7)
Must they wear the #7?
Why can't/won't Burton wear it? He is, after all, listed on the Bulldogs website as a "Halfback".
He can and will still play on the left (or he may start to play both sides).
* 12 months ago: Burton was an unproven NRL #6 (Sure, he's a Dally M Centre of the Year, but he's not a #6 - plenty said).
* End of last season: Well, yeah he did okay at #6, but he isn't elite and isn't a ball player...
* End of this season: Well, yeah he's an elite #6 and an excellent ball player, but isn't a game manager.
* Start of '24: Now that he's a top-notch #6, top ball player, and has handled game management pretty well, there's nothing stopping him from wearing the #7 and enhancing his game control skills.
I think Burton is (and will be that good). He will be a marquee 6 but I don't think that will stop him playing as a #7 also, if we need him to, and still being amongst the top half dozen in that position as well.
It allows us a lot of flexibility for what type of player we choose to play down the right edge.
At the end of the day Burton is a footy player, and a gun one at that. He will offer this team things we have had since Shifty was running the side.