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The Bulldogs were anything but clinical and convincing in their 28-4 victory over an undermanned Panthers side, but there are signs Lachlan Galvin is warming to his new halfback role.
Canterbury were in a no-win situation against a Panthers team missing 16 first-graders and Nathan Hindmarsh believes Cameron Ciraldo wouldn’t be impressed with their start.
“I think Ciraldo would be disappointed with the way the Bulldogs started because the Panthers were still in it at half-time,” Hindmarsh said.
“I think Ciraldo would have preferred that they got into their process a little earlier.
“They were very scrappy early on and I know that came from the pressure the Panthers applied, but that first half was scrappy.
“They got it together in the second half and they started hitting their targets, but it wasn’t convincing.”
However, Jacob Preston’s first career hat-trick got the Bulldogs home and Matty Johns believes he is the key to getting the best out of Galvin.
“What will be really pleasing was Jacob Preston’s performance,” Johns said.
“He had three tries and you just know sooner or later he is going to play State of Origin. You can see he is that sort of player.
“He is a god send for Galvin because playmakers live and die by their edge back-rower and he and Galvin are really forming a combination.”
Galvin finished with 73 metres, a linebreak, two linebreak assists, a try assist and a try and
Bryan Fletcher noted he is simplifying his role to give good early ball to his edge players.
“He laid on three tries and there was none of those fancy blocks,” Fletcher said.
“He was just hitting him early. He is warming into his role Galvin.”
Johns believes Galvin is starting to stick to his own game and what works for him as a playmaker, after some growing pains since coming into the Bulldogs team mid-season.
“He is starting to play his own game a little bit,” Johns said.
“Early doors when he first came into the side he was just trying so hard to fit into their system and the second half against the Storm last week he was terrific.
“He started to play his own game and was weaving around the park and he carried that on against the Panthers.
“He is a very good footballer, it is just getting used to that system and one thing about the Bulldogs I look at them and it is a different type of spine.
“You look at Melbourne and different sides and you know who is in charge, but with the Bulldogs, you wonder who the shot caller is at different times. Galvin looks to me like a roving No.13 the way he plays.”
Another boost for the Bulldogs was the form of Sitili Tupouniua, who stepped up in the absence of Viliame Kikau with a rampaging display.
Tupouniua finished with 125 metres, six tackle busts, a linebreak, two offloads and 19 tackles off the bench to spark the Bulldogs when he came on.
“Ciraldo would be very happy with the way Sitili Tupouniua played,” Hindmarsh said.
“In the absence of Kikau I thought Sitili was outstanding hitting those holes on the edge.”
The Bulldogs have locked up third spot on the ladder and will play the Storm in a blockbuster in the first week of the finals.
Canterbury were in a no-win situation against a Panthers team missing 16 first-graders and Nathan Hindmarsh believes Cameron Ciraldo wouldn’t be impressed with their start.
“I think Ciraldo would be disappointed with the way the Bulldogs started because the Panthers were still in it at half-time,” Hindmarsh said.
“I think Ciraldo would have preferred that they got into their process a little earlier.
“They were very scrappy early on and I know that came from the pressure the Panthers applied, but that first half was scrappy.
“They got it together in the second half and they started hitting their targets, but it wasn’t convincing.”
However, Jacob Preston’s first career hat-trick got the Bulldogs home and Matty Johns believes he is the key to getting the best out of Galvin.
“What will be really pleasing was Jacob Preston’s performance,” Johns said.
“He had three tries and you just know sooner or later he is going to play State of Origin. You can see he is that sort of player.
“He is a god send for Galvin because playmakers live and die by their edge back-rower and he and Galvin are really forming a combination.”
Galvin finished with 73 metres, a linebreak, two linebreak assists, a try assist and a try and
Bryan Fletcher noted he is simplifying his role to give good early ball to his edge players.
“He laid on three tries and there was none of those fancy blocks,” Fletcher said.
“He was just hitting him early. He is warming into his role Galvin.”
Johns believes Galvin is starting to stick to his own game and what works for him as a playmaker, after some growing pains since coming into the Bulldogs team mid-season.
“He is starting to play his own game a little bit,” Johns said.
“Early doors when he first came into the side he was just trying so hard to fit into their system and the second half against the Storm last week he was terrific.
“He started to play his own game and was weaving around the park and he carried that on against the Panthers.
“He is a very good footballer, it is just getting used to that system and one thing about the Bulldogs I look at them and it is a different type of spine.
“You look at Melbourne and different sides and you know who is in charge, but with the Bulldogs, you wonder who the shot caller is at different times. Galvin looks to me like a roving No.13 the way he plays.”
Another boost for the Bulldogs was the form of Sitili Tupouniua, who stepped up in the absence of Viliame Kikau with a rampaging display.
Tupouniua finished with 125 metres, six tackle busts, a linebreak, two offloads and 19 tackles off the bench to spark the Bulldogs when he came on.
“Ciraldo would be very happy with the way Sitili Tupouniua played,” Hindmarsh said.
“In the absence of Kikau I thought Sitili was outstanding hitting those holes on the edge.”
The Bulldogs have locked up third spot on the ladder and will play the Storm in a blockbuster in the first week of the finals.
