Canterbury secured a narrow 13-12 golden point victory over Manly on Saturday, preserving their slim finals hopes but exposing ongoing issues in their playmaking combinations. The Bulldogs’ coach, Cameron Ciraldo, opted to deploy captain Stephen Crichton at five-eighth instead of Matt Burton, citing Burton’s inconsistent form as a key factor in the decision. Crichton, traditionally a centre, missed an initial field goal attempt before calmly converting the winning kick, underlining his influence in the clash.
Ciraldo’s choice marks a notable adjustment, as many observers had expected Burton to shift into the centres, rather than a direct swap with Crichton moving into the halves. While Crichton was also close to scoring a try, his impact as a running threat was limited, a role Burton typically fulfills more effectively when playing in the halves. Canterbury’s best option at five-eighth appears to be Lachlan Galvin, a promising youngster whom Bulldogs veteran Phil Gould has similarly identified as a potential halfback. Another rookie, Alex Conti, has impressed in the NSW Cup at halfback but is unlikely to be fast-tracked into first-grade halves just yet.
Despite the win, Canterbury’s attack remains lacklustre after 16 rounds, averaging just 17.5 points per game and managing only 41 tries—second lowest in the competition behind St George Illawarra.
Meanwhile, Wests Tigers continue to grapple with their form slump amid off-field disruptions, notably following Jarome Luai’s unexpected decision to join the Chiefs. Luai admitted that the distraction had affected the team’s morale. On the field, the Tigers have exhibited a troubling pattern of late first-half fadeouts. In their recent 36-22 defeat to the Dolphins, they relinquished a narrow lead in the closing minutes before halftime, echoing similar lapses in preceding games. Since round 7, the Tigers have been outscored 74-6 in the final 10 minutes of the first half, raising concerns over their mental resilience.
Manly also missed key opportunities in their loss on Saturday as halves Luke Brooks and Jamal Fogarty failed to capitalize in clutch moments. Fogarty aborted a field goal attempt early in golden point before Brooks also elected to run rather than kick on successive occasions. Ultimately, Manly allowed an unforced error in the final play, contributing to the narrow defeat. Coach Kieran Foran faces questions about the halves’ inability to consistently set up field goals from prime attacking positions.
Elsewhere, an emerging issue with forward passes from dummy-half is troubling referees and officials. Several blatant infractions have gone unnoticed in recent matches, including a critical missed forward pass by Newcastle’s Phoenix Crossland in the closing minutes against St George Illawarra. The NRL’s reluctance to involve the bunker in forward pass decisions presents ongoing challenges for officiating consistency.
Video review also produced a controversial decision in the Warriors’ 38-20 victory over the Cowboys. A try awarded after what appeared to be a knock-on in a high-ball contest sparked confusion, as the bunker upheld the try despite replays suggesting an infringement. The ruling arguably dashed the Cowboys’ hopes of mounting a comeback.
The match featured an emotional note with Jason Taumalolo’s 300th game celebrations overshadowed by a sin-bin for a dangerous tackle, though the tackled player, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, fortunately avoided serious injury.
On a lighter note, the Gold Coast Titans paid tribute to their history during the club’s retro round, with the original mascot, Paul Gale, reprising his role as Captain Charger 30 years after first donning the iconic costume, drawing an enthusiastic reception from fans at Cbus Super Stadium.