Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo calls for State of Origin shake-up following Matt Burton snub
Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo has called for a shake-up to State of Origin's 18th man rules.
Max King, Stephen Crichton and Matt Burton are unavailable for the Bulldogs' clash with the Rabbitohs on Sunday.
Picked only as 18th man, Burton more than likely won't play in game two where the Blues will be hoping to secure a second-consecutive series win, but remains unavailable for Bulldogs selection.
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It will be the fifth time Burton acts as 18th man for the Blues. His only Origin appearances were in games two and three in the 2023 series.
Ciraldo wants the current rules to be tweaked to allow the 18th man to be available for club selection in the weekend before Origin.
Matt Burton will be 18th man for the Blues in Origin II. Getty
"It'd be great for the system to be looked at in the future, where hopefully those 18th men could play, and then go and do that job and take on that responsibility," he told media on Friday.
"So we've challenged Burto to go in there and become a better footballer, and bring it back to the Bulldogs."
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The NRL told 9News it has no plans to make any changes to the rule.
Despite already being in camp, Burton was overlooked by Blues coach Laurie Daley in favour of Jarome Luai when Mitchell Moses was ruled out with a calf injury.
Ciraldo played questions around the decision with a straight bat.
"Coaches make decisions in the best interests of the team. NSW will be doing that, that's what we're doing here," he said.
"That's up to their coaches and we'll make those decisions as well.
"He'd love to be playing in that arena, but Burto is a team-first person, he always puts the team first wherever he goes."
Winger Jacob Kiraz was also put on standby for the Blues as cover for Brian To'o, but returned to Bulldogs training on Friday and is expected to play on Sunday.
