NRL 360, Matt Burton and Lachlan Galvin, Bulldogs halves combination, Sean O’Sullivan, Mitchell Woods, Bulldogs premiership chances, nrl news

After bowing out in straight-sets during the 2025 NRL Finals Series, a surprising positional switch has been floated around as the Bulldogs attempt to win their first title in over two decades.

Ever since Lachlan Galvin was brought into the club, questions have been raised about whether he and Matt Burton can co-exist in the halves, despite neither being a dominant ball-player or primarily playing as a halfback.

While their combination has worked at times, it was unable to get them through the big matches, particularly during last year’s finals against the Melbourne Storm and Penrith Panthers.

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To combat this issue, veteran journalist Michael Carayannis has raised the point and believes that a positional switch should be made.

“I think the issue is not so much around Lachie Galvin being in the No.7, its that combination between Matt Burton and Lachie Galvin,” Carayannis said on NRL 360.

“I don’t love. I don’t think it works. I think we’ve got two guys whose best asset is running the footy, playing off the cuff a little bit.

“The question for mine is can they create enough for their outside men. They have some strike outside the Bulldogs. Can those guys do enough to get service to the big-name players that they have on the outside?”

While Burton and Galvin will be the starting halves for Round 1, Caryannis believes that Burton should shift into the centres and recruit Sean O’Sullivan should come in to play the halfback role, while Galvin plays his preferred role in the No.6 jersey.

This would see Bronson Xerri make way.

“I’d go O’Sullivan and Galvin combination with Matt Burton at centre. I don’t think he was great last year, Bronson Xerri,” the respected journalist continued.

“He had a really good first year back at Canterbury and I don’t think he was able to get to the same level again at the Bulldogs.

“If you’ve got Crichton and Burton on either edge and you’ve got Sean just being able to kick, pass and get this team around that just frees up all those players.”

Co-host Gorden Tallis floated another option in rookie halfback Mitchell Woods.

Although he is one of the most highly-touted prospects in rugby league, the incumbent Under-19s NSW Blues halfback remains sidelined with a hamstring injury.

Due to this setback, he is set to spend the remainder of the season developing his craft in either the Under-21s Jersey Flegg Cup or NSW Cup rather than wearing the No.7 at the first-grade level.

“He’s had multiple hamstring injuries now and he’s not here in Vegas because he’s had a hamstring problem again and is sidelined for the start of the year,” Read said.

“That is an issue for them because that’s inhibited his development. I would have thought before he got his latest injury maybe he’s the halfback by the end of the year.

“I’m not sure if that happens now cause his development’s been impacted so much over the past two years by hamstring problems and if it doesn’t work they can turn to Sean.”

Despite name-dropping O’Sullivan, Read believes that the only way the Bulldogs can win their first premiership since 2004 is if the halves are made up of Burton and Galvin.

“You talk to anyone about Sean O’Sullivan, they’ll tell you this guy is going to be a coach one day.

“Highly intelligent footballer, he’s a great back-up for them but for them to win the comp, this combination has to work

The Bulldogs will face the Dragons at Allegiant Stadium on the weekend in front of a rowdy Las Vegas crowd.

And while Woods or recruit Leo Thompson won’t be taking to the field, Matt Burton is set to play after being taken off the field during their second pre-season trial match.

“He’s looked fine. There’s been no indication of any injury, he’s been kicking freely, he looks great,” Read said.

“He’s participated in all the training sessions, all the simulated activities. I don’t think there is an issue with Matt Burton.”