Andrew Johns Backs Mitchell Woods Debut, Shifts Lachlan Galvin To Five-Eighth
Andrew Johns wants lachlan galvin shifted to five-eighth and Mitchell Woods thrown into the Bulldogs side after Friday night’s loss to an injury-ravaged Brisbane Broncos outfit. The call lands amid an ongoing argument over whether Galvin is a six or a seven, and it puts fresh pressure on Belmore’s halfback decisions.
Johns Pushes Woods
Johns said the Bulldogs should “pull the trigger” and use Woods now, while moving Galvin into the jersey he believes suits him for the long term. He also said Matt Burton is not an out-and-out five-eighth, calling him “a running five eighth,” and argued that if a side has that sort of player, it needs “an on-ball halfback who does everything.”
“We know Lachie Galvin. He's building his game. I see him more as a long term five eighth. He wants the ball, but he's still got to understand his game,” Johns said. He added that Galvin keeps going to the right side too often and linking with Jacob Preston, before finishing his case with Woods: “Mitch Woods is the young prodigy who they have got high hopes for.”
Crichton Stands By Galvin
Stephen Crichton pushed back on the pressure building around Galvin’s role. He pointed to the Panthers game two weeks ago, when he said Galvin was probably the best halfback that week, and said the criticism since then has been tied to the team’s broader form.
“That's a reflection on the boys around him probably not helping him do his job as well,” Crichton said. He added, “We definitely know that he is our halfback,” and said the squad is not helping him enough as players around him.
Bulldogs Under Selection Pressure
That leaves Cameron Ciraldo with a clear selection call, even if Johns said he does not know whether Woods is fit to go. Galvin has been criticized a lot lately for the way the team has been performing, and Crichton said the defender’s response should be part of the read on him, not the whole story.
Johns’ view is direct: Galvin is still learning, Burton should stay in a role that lets him run, and Woods is the next halfback the club should back. For the Bulldogs, the issue now is not whether the debate exists. It is whether they keep Galvin where he is, or make the change Johns wants before the noise around the No. 7 gets any louder.
