Hey Bulldogs fans, a 45 year Panthers fan here, my commentary is based on watching every game Stephen Crighton has played. Currently, he is on $585K with the Panthers, my club sources say we offered him around $700K for 3 years but his management advised against the tenure length rather than the $ figure. He wants to play fullback and is stuck behind the current Clive Churchill medalist and Top 3 fullback Dylan Edwards, who still has 3 or 4 years left in him at the top level. Word quietly out of the Pathers sheds, is he has been offered around $800K to play fullback with the Dogs with performance-based increases pushing toward $850k - $900k in the next year '25 etc. Gus won't announce anything until a week has passed after Crighton's public announcement of not being at the Panthers for '24. Here's the thing, at his worst, he is a lazy runner and rushes up in defence. This is not very often, at his best, his clutch plays win premierships and finals, he is fast and athletic and is a great goal kicker, no arguments can be made there. In the middle of that, he is a Top 3 centre and potentially a great fullback, he is 22 for Petes sake! Very astute posters on this site have noted that at worst, you will have a killer back row whether he is at centre or fullback. He's a winner, arrogant, probably, confident, absolutely, it's infectious. For '24, Bulldogs look not just Top 8, but potential Top 4 and don't listen to any trolls, most of us in Panther land welcome a Bulldogs resurgence. Great recent purchases and talented juniors are a winning combo. Just sort out number 7 and all of the Top 4 will be looking over their shoulders. I watched a lot of late-season '22 Bulldogs games and there is something big brewing. Ciraldo can coach, he has had as good an apprenticeship as most.
www.foxsports.com.au
