NRL Finals teams: Bulldogs shock as injured Stephen Crichton named

The Canterbury captain has barely left the Bulldogs training base ever since he arrived back in Sydney in a moon boot and on crutches last Saturday.

Returning from the Bulldogs’ qualifying final loss to the Storm in Melbourne, Crichton’s ligament damage in his foot was supposed to rule him out for two to four weeks.

So it was with major shock and sensation that Crichton was named in Cameron Ciraldo’s extended squad to face Penrith in an elimination final at Accor Stadium on Sunday.

Mind games against his former club?

That would be the obvious assumption.

However, drill a little deeper and you’ll find a 24-year-old torturing his body to lead the Bulldogs in front of an estimated 60,000 fans on Sunday.

Crichton has literally spent hours and days with Bulldogs physiotherapist Adrian Low.

On the Bulldogs players day off on Sunday, Crichton drove through the front gates of Belmore before hobbling into Low’s rehabilitation room to ice, move and treat his damaged left foot.

On Sunday afternoon and night, Crichton didn’t relent, forgoing sleep to maintain round-the-clock treatment of his pain.

Monday was more of the same, the only difference being that his teammates were back inside the building.

On Tuesday morning, as the rest of the playing group switched off on a rest day from training, Crichton was back at Belmore, allowing Low to push his foot through his pain threshold once again.

It was after the rehabilitation session on Tuesday that the Bulldogs coaching staff decided after speaking with their skipper that they would include him in the squad.

Crichton is a revered leader at the Bulldogs due to his incredible diligence and dedication to his craft.

This latest injury aside, Ciraldo has often spoken of the mental fortitude of Crichton to work harder than his opposition to reach world-class level.

The Bulldogs coaching staff aren’t naive to consider the odds are against their skipper. But they’re also not prepared to rule him out, simply due to the 24-year-old’s perseverance.

Crichton will be given up until the Bulldogs’ final session, at their captain’s run at Accor Stadium on Saturday, before a final decision is made on his availability.

The final call is of season-defining significance. The boost Crichton would give his teammates by charging out first onto Accor Stadium would be undeniable.

However, there is also the risk of Crichton failing to finish the match, an issue the Dogs were forced to counter against the Storm.

It was Matt Burton who shuffled from five-eighth to centre last Friday night and it’s where Ciraldo has named Burton to start against the Panthers.

Toby Sexton has been to start at halfback alongside five-eighth Lachlan Galvin with Bailey Hayward starting at hooker.

On the bench, is dummy-half Reed Mahoney.

The decision to recall Mahoney after being left out of the squad is proof Ciraldo hasn’t discarded the hooker, but rather he’s prepared to select the best fit and available team to beat the Panthers.

Crichton’s potential inclusion is also of major significance for the Bulldogs who have Marcelo Montoya (ankle) and Enari Tuala (leg) unavailable in their backline.

Bronson Xerri (HIA) has been named to return from a week off, while talented rookie winger Jethro Rinakama has retained his spot.

NRL FINALS WEEK TWO TEAMS

RAIDERS VS SHARKS

Saturday, 7:50pm, GIO Stadium, Canberra

Raiders

1. Kaeo Weekes 2. Savelio Tamale 3. Matthew Timoko 4. Sebastian Kris 5. Jed Stuart 6. Ethan Strange 7. Jamal Fogarty 8. Josh Papalii 9. Tom Starling 10. Joseph Tapine 11. Hudson Young 12. Zac Hosking 13. Corey Horsburgh

Interchange: 14. Owen Pattie 15. Simi Sasagi 16. Morgan Smithies 17. Ata Mariota

Reserves: 18. Matty Nicholson 19. Danny Levi20. Trey Mooney 21. Ethan Sanders 22. Chevy Stewart

Team news: No changes to the side that went down to the Broncos in week one of the finals.

Sharks

1. William Kennedy 2. Sione Katoa 3. Jesse Ramien 4. KL Iro 5. Ronaldo Mulitalo 6. Braydon Trindall 7. Nicho Hynes 8. Addin Fonua-Blake 9. Blayke Brailey 10. Toby Rudolf 11. Billy Burns 12. Teig Wilton 13. Jesse Colquhoun

Interchange: 14. Briton Nikora 15. Siosifa Talakai 16. Oregon Kaufusi 17. Braden Hamlin-Uele

Reserves: 18. Daniel Atkinson 19. Mawene Hiroti 20. Jayden Berrell 21. Thomas Hazelton 22. Hohepa Puru

Team news: Same 17 as last week with Briton Nikora included on the bench after his late inclusion last week.

Thomas Hazelton has been named on the extended bench as he aims to return from a knee infection.

BULLDOGS VS PANTHERS

4:05pm, Accor Stadium, Sydney

Bulldogs

1. Connor Tracey 2. Jacob Kiraz 3. Bronson Xerri 4. Matt Burton 5. Jethro Rinakama 6. Lachlan Galvin 7. Toby Sexton 8. Max King 9. Bailey Hayward 10. Josh Curran 11. Viliame Kikau 12. Jacob Preston 13. Jaeman Salmon

Interchange: 14. Kurt Mann 15. Sitili Tupouniua 16. Harry Hayes 17. Reed Mahoney

Reserves: 19. Blake Wilson 20. Jake Turpin 21. Samuel Hughes 22. Marcelo Montoya 23. Stephen Crichton

Team news: Plenty happening here. Stephen Crichton has been named on the extended bench as he battles an ankle injury.

Matt Burton switches to left centre in Crichton’s place, while Bronson Xerri returns from concussion in the right centre role.

Lachlan Galvin shifts to five-eighth, Toby Sexton takes over at halfback and Reed Mahoney earns a reprieve on the bench after being dropped last week.

Sexton has declared himself a certain starter despite a sternum injury on the weekend.

Marcelo Montoya is on the extended bench as he aims to return from an ankle injury.

Viliame Kikau went for scans on an ugly facial injury but has been cleared to play.

Panthers

1. Dylan Edwards 2. Paul Alamoti 3. Izack Tago 4. Casey McLean 5. Brian To’o 6. Blaize Talagi 7. Nathan Cleary 8. Moses Leota 9. Luke Sommerton 10. Lindsay Smith 11. Scott Sorensen 12. Liam Martin 13. Isaah Yeo

Interchange: 14. Brad Schneider 15. Liam Henry 16. Isaiah Papali’i, 17. Luke Garner

Reserves: 18. Thomas Jenkins 19. Matthew Eisenhuth 20. Daine Laurie 21. Mavrik Geyer 22. Mitch Kenny

Team news: Same 17 as last week. Mitch Kenny will be assessed during the week following a hamstring injury and could come into the starting side at hooker.

Originally published as NRL Finals teams: Bulldogs shock as injured Stephen Crichton named