Journalist Andrew Webster says the Bulldogs will be “well and truly off” Toby Sexton if they don’t pick him, if halfback Lachlan Galvin is ruled out of the clash with the Warriors with injury.
Galvin is battling both hand and ankle injuries and is in some doubt to play against the Warriors at Accor Stadium on Saturday night, although he has been named in the team at halfback.
Sexton and 19-year-old Mitchell Woods, the Bulldogs’ other NSW Cup half, have both been named in the extended squad as cover for Galvin.
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Paul Crawley said it was mysterious that the Bulldogs had named Woods in the extended squad as well.
“Are they kidding us here?” Crawley asked the NRL 360 panel.
“Are they really going to gamble on an untried young guy, as impressive as Woods may be?
“Or do you go with the bloke who you know what you’re going to get, with Sexton?”
Webster was in no doubt Sexton should be picked if Galvin isn’t fit enough to play.
“It has to be Sexton, surely,” Webster said.
Co-host Gorden Tallis agreed.
“He got them to the top of the table, you put him in for the next couple of weeks, Lachie has a couple of weeks off, that’s common sense,” Tallis added.
Webster felt that if Woods was picked over Sexton, the Bulldogs’ attitude towards Sexton would be clear.
“If they don’t pick him then they are well and truly off him,” Webster said of Sexton.
Host Braith Anasta, who debuted for the Bulldogs in the NRL as an 18-year-old himself, said this isn’t the time to throw Woods in the deep end.
“Mitch Woods is a superstar in the making,” Anasta said.
“I’ve watched a lot of his games and he’s a first grader through and through but there’s no need to rush, especially right now, when you’ve got Sexton sitting there.
“His time will come. There’s no real advantage in throwing him in right now.”
Anasta believes Galvin shouldn’t play if he has suffered a fracture to his hand.
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“They’ve named him at seven although I’m hearing he won’t play,” Anasta said of Galvin.
“There is a chance of him playing.
“I probably wouldn’t be rushing him back in if there’s a fracture there. I’d be giving him a week or two off.
“It’s uncomfortable, as a half, you’ve got to catch, pass.
“Tackling on the edges. Not being able to grab like you usually can.
“It does impact your game and it does impact it more as a half.”
