Calls are growing louder for the Bulldogs to hand teen playmaker Karl Oloapu his NRL debut in the wake of Kyle Flanagan getting dropped this week.
Flanagan has paid the price for three straight losses with veteran Josh Reynolds named at No. 6 to face the Dragons on Sunday.
Oloapu has once again been named on an extended bench and there is chatter the 18-year-old could make his debut this week.
The Daily Telegraph journalist Michael Carayannis told NRL 360: “It sort of built last week when they made that subtle shift with Matt Burton wearing the number seven and Kyle Flanagan switching to five-eighth. We thought: ‘Is this one foot out the door or is this trying to preserve Kyle Flanagan’s first grade career?’ It ended up being one foot out the door.
“Tough road back for Kyle now. He’s been in this situation before. He’s off contract at the end of the season.
“He’s not going to be at Canterbury next year.”
Paul Kent said: “It’s tough. Last week we were wondering what Flanagan was going to offer at five-eighth. It looked like a bit of a statement from Ciraldo, the coach, saying: ‘Listen mate, we’re gonna put you there. See how you go. You’re basically playing for your spot.’
“This week he’s (Ciraldo’s) pulled the trigger.”
James Hooper said: “I know Cameron Ciraldo has been really mindful about trying to take a cautious approach with young Karl Oloapu. But you speak to anybody out there at Canterbury and anybody who has watched him play NSW Cup, he’s ready to go.
“It’s just a matter of when he’s actually gonna get his (chance).
“I think (Ciraldo) wants to try and wait until he’s got (Viliame) Kikau and some of those other senior players (back).”
Kent said: “He’s also not really playing for a semi-finals spot this year, what he’s doing is building a squad. There’s no point bringing a kid in who can potentially get torched in his first couple of games. Why not just be patient and bring him through the right way and wait for the big guns to come in so he has the support around him? And actually build the kid’s future - he’s got to provide value to Canterbury not this year, but in future years.”
Kent and Braith Anasta agreed that the Bulldogs had been patient with their handling of the youngster so far, with Hooper adding: “The mail over the summer was that he was a chance for round one, he’d gone that well over the off-season.”
But Kent said: “Cameron Ciraldo’s there to build the club long term. To try and build something solid there.
“You don’t start chancing your arm and risk betting on a good talent coming through to try and get a win this weekend, when it potentially could cost you that years down the track.
“We’ve seen in the past some kids come along too early, too much, too quickly, and for whatever reason they just don’t develop the way other kids who are coming through (and) who are given more time to be able to mature into the role.”
Carayannis said: “It would not shock me if he starts off the bench this weekend.”
Kent said it would be a good idea: “It could be part of the plan. Give him a taste. Give him some minutes.”
