Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo dropkicks latest criticism of 'incredible' Lachlan Galvin as do-or-die test looms

Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo insists he made the right call when recruiting Lachlan Galvin, despite suggestions his inclusion may have shaken the team out of premiership contention.

The Bulldogs spent 13 rounds on top of the premiership ladder this season until a troubling downfall in results and reshuffled line-up seemingly rocked the club's success.

The move that disrupted what had been a winning formula was the mid-season recruitment of Galvin, who initially started on the bench before taking on the No.7 jersey at the expense of Toby Sexton.

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Ciraldo has also since moved Bailey Hayward into the No.9 jersey and gun hooker Reed Mahoney has either been dropped from the side or been benched at different times.

The Bulldogs managed just four wins in their final seven games of the regular season, with Galvin in the No.7.

The return of Sexton to halfback in a reshuffle forced by Stephen Crichton's injury early in their qualifying final clash against the Storm last week prompted many to question why Ciraldo ever moved the departing playmaker out of his preferred role to begin with.

Coach Ciraldo is unwavering in backing Galvin and the big calls he's made in selection this season.

"He is incredible," the Bulldogs coach told Nine's Today on Friday.

"What he has been able to achieve this year with all that attention and scrutiny on him has been remarkable for a 20-year-old.

"Without reading all the headlines, he has been doing an incredible job for us.

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"The stuff he has added to our team has been awesome, and then to have Toby (Sexton) to come back last week and show some improvement was really good as well.

"Those two guys combine really nicely, they are really good friends day-to-day at training. I think they will do a really good job on Sunday."

Ciraldo was then asked if he had made the right choice bringing Galvin in.

"Yes I did," he immediately replied.

"We are really excited about both of those guys playing this week."

Sexton's partnership with Galvin will not be the only combination that fans will be closely watching when they face the Panthers on Sunday, with a new centre combination likely to be forced by the absence of injured Bulldogs skipper Cricthon.

Ciraldo though still believes the Origin gun is a "50/50 chance" of playing.

"We have training today (Friday) and he will have to get through a bit of stuff and then go again tomorrow," he said.

"He deserves every chance to be able to force his way in, so we will see what he can get done.

"We are really hopeful, but if not we have the team to get it done as well."

"It's been a really big year, they've had to put up with a lot," Ciraldo continued.

"If they can go out and play the way they have all year (they are a good chance).

"(Penrith) are a champion team. What they have done over the last four years is incredible, they deserve to be here.

"For some people they are probably premiership favourites but it is less about them this weekend for us, it's all about us."