How a 'Critta' and a 'chook' put the bark back in the Dogs

Headless chook or cut snake is how Bulldogs teammates refer to their halfback Lachie Glavin, but as long as he keeps that kind of energy Canterbury has a firm shot at the NRL finals. 

Galvin has been part of all six wins from their last eight games, while five-eighth Stephen Crichton has been his halves partner in three of them. 

Sean O’Sullivan combined with Galvin well in the 32-0 win over Wests Tigers and branded the young No.7 a superb rising talent even though he “runs around like a headless chook”. 

Fullback Connor Tracey has another barnyard description in mind. 

“He runs around like a cut snake – he’s young and full of energy. Somethings that might go unnoticed are his organisation and leadership,” Tracey said.  

“They are things that have really grown this year and it’s good to watch.” 

The Bulldogs will need all that and more as they head to Melbourne’s AAMI Park on Friday. 

“They’re just playing to their strengths,” prop Leo Thompson said of the Galvin-Crichton combination.  

Lachie is obviously a strong ball-runner and Critta, he’s a strong leader and that’s why he’s fitted into that role really well. 

Leo Thompson

“I’ve just enjoyed seeing them do what they do. 

“Winning helps a lot in getting settled. They (halves) were probably getting a lot of the blame for our losses earlier in the season but it was a collective thing. 

“A lot of the boys are playing their best footy at the moment and that helps out our halves a lot.” 

Thompson can count himself in the improved department. After missing the early part of the season with a torn calf, he returned to five straight losses. 

But he’s now enjoying the purple patch the Bulldogs find themselves and has a tackle efficiency of 94 per cent alongside an average of 12 hit-ups a game. 

“I think I’m still building my game but I feel like I’ve got my fitness back and starting to get those good combinations with the boys,” Thompson said. 

Alongside the spark in the halves the Bulldogs have welcomed back two key back-rowers in Jacob Preston (broken forearm) and Viliame Kikau (pectoral) in the past weeks. 

“They are a huge presence in our team. So having them in the team, looking over at them on the field, for myself and lot of the other boys it gives us confidence,” Thompson said. 

The Bulldogs rejuvenation shows by the fact they are in the top four for support plays, post-contact metres and running metres. 

Tracey averages 191 metres a game but knows that even a wounded Storm – without Cameron Munster (knee) and Harry Grant (hamstring) – is still a powerful entity. 

“Whenever you go down to Melbourne it’s a tough game – they are always tough opponents,” he said. 

“We’re playing better footy now than the start of the year so we’ll keep building on that.”