Why sight of Stephen Crichton blasting Lachie Galvin was actually a positive for Bulldogs

The sight of Stephen Crichton lashing star playmaker Lachie Galvin after the Bulldogs conceded a try against the Dolphins summed up the frustrations bubbling away at Belmore – but it also served as proof the players are refusing to accept a drop in standards.

Eagle-eyed TV viewers would have spotted the Dogs skipper tearing strips off Galvin in back play after Dolphins half Kodi Nikorima strolled through for the easiest of tries in the second half last Thursday.

Teammates yelling at each other on the field happens most weeks in the NRL. But the sight of Crichton, one of the calmest leaders in the game, losing his cool at the young playmaker the Dogs have worked overtime to protect from external criticism illustrated how tense things have become at Belmore.

Canterbury are trying to avoid a fifth straight loss when they kick-start Magic Round against Cronulla on Friday, with coach Cameron Ciraldo set to resist wholesale changes – including shifting Crichton from centre.

The Bulldogs have leaked 100 more points than at this time last year, and look bereft of confidence.

Prop Max King completed training on Monday and looks set to return from a broken jaw suffered last month against Penrith, which was the club’s last win.

Bulldogs teammates praised Crichton for his show of emotion, stressing it was nothing personal against Galvin. The skipper holding his teammate to account was exactly what the club needed, Bulldogs players said, if they were to salvage their season.

“I wouldn’t even call it anger, it’s something we encourage at this club to hold each other to a high standard, and for everyone to coach each other,” prop Leo Thompson said.

“When those conversations happen, it’s not something we take to heart. Lachie wouldn’t have taken that to heart. We encourage self development – we want our peers to coach us.

“Lachie has heaps of talent. He’s only young. I feel like his game is still building. In the Bulldogs system, and the way we train, he’ll be that player everyone is expecting him to be.”

Prop Harry Hayes added: “This is what we do at training if someone does something you don’t like – you have these conversations that are healthy; it’s constructive criticism. I’m only in my second full year, but it’s pretty cool to have him [Crichton] as our leader, knowing what he’s done, and what he’s doing for us.”

Ciraldo made a point of singling out some soft decisions in defence on the edges, and said after the Dolphins loss: “I think our forwards are working their arses off, trying really hard… then on the edges we either decide to not stay in the system, or decide to not put our body on the line – and it costs us.”

Some pundits have called for Crichton to shift to either fullback or five-eighth, but he trained at right centre, with Matt Burton – a late scratching against the Dolphins because of illness – slotting back into the halves.

Thompson was brought to the club as their big-money front-row recruit, but is yet to sing the team song after four appearances. The New Zealand international said he was increasing his minutes each week after being struck down with a calf injury – which followed a quad injury on the same right leg – and was keen to go head-to-head with potential NSW wrecking ball Addin Fonua-Blake.

Meanwhile, Jacob Kiraz continued to train away from the main group as he closes in on as return from a knee injury.

News, results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport sent every Monday. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.