The "Elephant in the Room," Lachlan Galvin, and the Bulldogs' Evolution

Kenty sits down with Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs head coach Cameron Ciraldo to deconstruct one of the most talked-about seasons in the club's recent history.

From the controversial mid-season signing of teenage sensation Lachlan Galvin to the "ruthless" decisions regarding mainstay players, Ciraldo gives an unfiltered look at the philosophy driving the Bulldogs' rebuild.

The Lachlan Galvin Saga: "Too Good to Go Past"

The signing of Lachlan Galvin from the Wests Tigers was the lightning rod for media scrutiny all season. Ciraldo addressed the "elephant in the room" immediately, explaining that the move wasn't a pre-planned heist but a reaction to a specific moment of vulnerability.

• The Catalyst: Ciraldo pointed to a heavy loss against the Dolphins during the Origin period as the turning point. "We lacked a bit of depth... to be able to bring someone in [of Locky's caliber] was just too good to go past."
• The "Gus" Factor: Addressing rumors that Phil Gould had engineered the move long ago, Ciraldo was dismissive: "I think everyone was reading too much into Gus's comments... he’s looking for more views and clicks... it honestly wasn’t on our radar [early on]."
• A "Duck Out of Water": Ciraldo revealed that in Galvin’s first training session, he looked lost. "His first session he looked like a duck out of water... I had absolutely no intentions of playing him." However, by the fifth session, his rapid improvement forced Ciraldo’s hand.

Addressing the "Ruthless" Tag: Sexton and Mahoney

Ciraldo faced heavy criticism for dropping Toby Sexton and moving Reed Mahoney to the bench in favor of younger or "experimental" options. He rejects the idea that these moves were cold-hearted, framing them as essential for a premiership-winning trajectory.

"My job number one is to make every decision in the best interest of the club," Ciraldo stated. He admitted that while the Bulldogs were leading the competition at one stage, their attack was only ranked 8th. "Point scoring was top of that list... what would have been really easy was to sit back and let it all unfold and keep the fans happy... but I vowed I wouldn't [avoid tough decisions] again."

On Toby Sexton, Ciraldo was transparent: "We were always working on some things in his game that we wanted to see come out for us to go to the next level... I just wanted to see something different."

The Future of the Spine: Burton and Woods

Rumors have swirled about Matt Burton’s future at the club, but Ciraldo shut them down firmly. "I’ve got no idea where it’s come from... it’s never been discussed that he’s moving on."

However, he laid down the gauntlet for Burton and Galvin heading into 2026:

• Burton’s Role: "When Berto's at his fittest and he's competing on every play, he chooses where he plays."
• The Mitch Woods Factor: Ciraldo noted that young gun Mitch Woods is looming large. "I hope there’s a lot of competition for spots on day one of preseason... that’s going to put us in a really good position."

The "Penrith Blueprint" and Developing an Identity

Having been part of the Penrith Panthers' rise to dominance, Ciraldo is often accused of trying to replicate that system. He clarified that while the "IP" is similar, the Bulldogs are a different beast.

"Penrith has such a big junior base whereas our junior base isn’t as big... we are doing it our own way. We’re not copying anything else." He emphasized that the Bulldogs are now a "development club," pointing to the rise of Harry Hayes and Bailey Hayward—players who were virtually unknown 12 months ago.

The Road Ahead: 2026 and Beyond

Ciraldo is already looking at how the game is evolving, suggesting that the "structure" of the last few years is dying.

"In the future, it’s going to become a lot less structured... teams are going to be playing a lot more off-the-cuff footy. If you go there trying to do what Penrith did to win their last four comps, you’re going to be left behind."

Final Thoughts on the Season: "I will never apologise for making decisions to try and win. I don’t have a regret."

Watch the full interview on Fanatics TV.

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