Canterbury’s Win Shakes Off Criticism Surrounding Matt Burton
Canterbury has used a crucial victory to silence the ongoing criticism and speculation about the future of five-eighth Matt Burton. The team ended a five-game losing streak with a 30-20 win over Melbourne, and coach Cameron Ciraldo was quick to address the negative comments surrounding his star player.
Ciraldo called some of the rumors about Burton’s future “bullshit” and emphasized that the club is focused on supporting its players during tough times. This comes as Burton, who is set to be out of contract at the end of next season, has been heavily linked with a move to the Perth Bears, who will enter the NRL in 2027. There have also been suggestions that Parramatta might pursue Burton if he can’t agree on a new deal with Canterbury.
“Burton’s one that gets tossed up a lot, doesn’t he?” Ciraldo said. “It’s really disappointing when you’re going through a losing streak and people decide to make up rumours about your players. It’s hard for us to defend them and then some people are copping a lot of unfair criticism as well.”
Ciraldo praised the coaching staff for staying united and maintaining their belief in the team’s direction. He said it was vital for the players to focus on the support within the club rather than external noise.
A Shift in Positioning?
This season, Burton has played as No.6 for Canterbury, but many believe this role is better suited for 20-year-old playmaker Lachlan Galvin. Bulldogs football boss Phil Gould recently admitted he doesn’t see Galvin as a long-term halfback, despite the young player wearing the No.7 jersey.
The 26-year-old Burton has faced significant criticism during the Bulldogs’ challenging season, while several teammates have also endured social media abuse. Ciraldo acknowledged the difficulty of managing the pressure from outside sources.
“That’s probably the hardest thing around this club is when we do lose a game there’s a lot of outside noise,” Ciraldo said. “So for us to manage that we try and keep the boys off their phones and off TV. Our wins are extreme, our wins are awesome, we get so much energy out of them but our losses are even more extreme. Even when we perform well and lose, the outside noise becomes quite debilitating for young guys. What we’ve done really well I think is try and focus on the opinions that matter within our four walls.”
Looking Ahead
Canterbury (4-7) are set to face the Wests Tigers next week, with Jacob Kiraz expected to start at fullback again. Conor Tracey was a last-minute withdrawal from Friday’s game due to a hamstring injury, while edge forward Jacob Preston suffered a broken arm.
“Jacob did a great job, that’s a credit to Jacob and our rehab team in how fit he came back from a knee injury,” Ciraldo said. “Fullback fitness is different, and he came back looking incredibly fit and was one of our best players.”
