SOS in box seat to answer Dogs' SOS after Burton blow

Bulldogs playmaker Matt Burton’s hopes of playing in the club's NRL season-opener in Las Vegas in two weeks hinge on the results of a scan on his left hamstring. 

Burton limped from the field in the 24th minute of his team’s 28-0 Witzer Pre-Season Challenge victory over Newcastle at McDonald Jones Stadium on Saturday night. 

The Bulldogs are scheduled to fly out of Sydney on Friday to prepare for their game against the Dragons at Allegiant Stadium on March 1 (AEDT), but Burton’s status will be determined by scans on Sunday or Monday. 

Canterbury coach Cameron Ciraldo said Burton was confident the injury was only minor, and the decision to sit him down for the rest of the match was purely precautionary.

“He said it’s not too bad,” Ciraldo told media after the game. 

“It feels all right. He just felt a little something and thought, with it being a trial, that he’d come and get it checked, and he didn’t want to risk it putting him back on.” 

Burton’s ability to launch towering bombs and long kicks down-field was expected to attract the attention of Vegas-based NFL talent scouts looking for punt kickers, but the Bulldogs, who have a Round 2 bye, will be guided by his scan results. 

If Burton is ruled out, Ciraldo said new signing Sean O’Sullivan, who came on against the Knights and did an admirable job playing alongside halfback Lachlan Galvin, would replace him against the Dragons in Las Vegas. 

“Fingers crossed, not too bad, but he’ll get scans tomorrow or Monday,” Ciraldo said. 

“If he’s right to play, he’ll play in Vegas. If not, Sean O’Sullivan did a great job today, so it’s pretty black and white.” 

Burton set up then scored Canterbury’s second try in the 19th minute. He started a back-line shift on the Dogs’ left edge, backed up to grab Jonathan Sua’s in-field kick, then ran around to touch down under the posts. 

About five minutes later, he was slow to his feet after being tackled, made a tackle on Knights winger Dominic Young in the next set, then left the field shortly afterwards and headed up the tunnel with Bulldogs medical staff. 

“He felt it when he was playing the ball in the set before, and he was sort of grabbing at it,” Ciraldo said. 

“We just said to the trainers, ‘get him off’, and then he had to make that tackle, and it was a good tackle, so he couldn’t have been too bad.” 

Speaking during the Fox Sports coverage, commentator and former champion halfback Greg Alexander believed the Bulldogs should err on the side of caution and leave Burton at home. 

“Absolutely long odds, if there’s any kind of hamstring strain,” Alexander said. 

“He threw the dummy and went himself, got up a bit ginger, and then started to hobble. 

“Now, whenever there is a hamstring problem, if it’s anything less than a grade one, you’re not limping as you leave the field, so I’ve got great concerns. 

“I don’t think he’s any chance of playing in Vegas. None at all. They would not risk it.” 

Ciraldo said O’Sullivan worked with Galvin and Burton at pre-season training and was confident the journeyman playmaker would do the job in Vegas if called on. 

“We’ve got a system there that one guy can come into, and I thought he did a really good job of that today,” Ciraldo said. 

Though Burton’s seat on the flight to Vegas is not yet confirmed, Ciraldo said injured outside backs Jacob Kiraz and Marcelo Montoya would be among the touring party. 

“They’ve had a couple of soft-tissue injuries, at the wrong time, but they’ll both be on the plane,” the coach said. 

“They probably could have played today but those guys ... have got history of being able to turn up and play well.”