Ciraldo reveals reason for Galvin-Sexton switch

Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo has defended his decision to drop halfback Toby Sexton in favour of mid-season recruit Lachlan Galvin.

Galvin joined the Bulldogs in early June following a messy exit from the Wests Tigers.

Since his inclusion in the team, the Bulldogs have struggled to find the best combination to fit the 20-year-old in their spine alongside Sexton, five-eighth Matt Burton and hooker Reed Mahoney.

After a lean month in which the Dogs have averaged 12 points per game, Ciraldo told SEN that Galvin’s selection at halfback gives his side the best possibility to score points in the run home to finals.

“In the last little period, we’ve been working really hard on our attack,” Ciraldo said on SEN 1170 Breakfast.

“We’ve been trying to evolve our attack and gearing up to understand what it’ll take to beat those top teams at the end of the year with really good defensive systems.

“We felt like we weren’t getting there and Lachlan has been showing some really good signs in training.

“He can unlock players around him, he’s been working really hard and he joined me in the coaches box last weekend which was a great opportunity for him to see what we (the coaching staff) are seeing.

“He deserves his opportunity because he has worked really hard since he joined the club.

“He has impressed everybody with his work ethic and ability to learn.

“Whilst it was a tough decision because we love Toby as a person and we’re not giving up on him, right now it’s Lachlan who deserves that opportunity."

Ciraldo is adamant that it was the right decision to drop Sexton for their Round 20 clash against the St George Illawarra Dragons.

“There’s a lot of nice parts of coaching (but) then there’s the hard times where players are moved on,” Ciraldo added.

“They are not the parts you enjoy but that’s what you get paid for.

“As long as every decision that is made is in the best interest of the club, then (those decisions) are not that difficult to have.”

The Bulldogs host the Dragons on Saturday evening at Accor Stadium.