Live: Position switch the latest chapter in Bulldogs' experiment against Titans

Canterbury's Stephen Crichton starts at five-eighth on the Gold Coast after making a mid-game switch with Matt Burton last week.

Later, the Broncos try to end their six-game losing streak against the team that started it, the Sydney Roosters.

Follow all the action in our live blog below, check out all the stats in the full ScoreCentre, and tune in to our live radio coverage.

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Fri 26 Jun 2026 at 5:16pm

Fri 26 Jun 2026 at 5:16pm

Origin curiosity

And just like that, it's almost time to name two more State of Origin teams, with the Blues and Maroons squads for the decider to be confirmed after this weekend's games.

Stephen Crichton is one of the names that's been tossed up for a possible return, despite injury issues and middling form this year, and I don't expect the move into the halves this evening to hurt his chances much. We all know what he can do on his day.

The issue for the Blues is how much noise there's been around possible changes yet again, which is the burden they carry by having so many eligible players.

I think Nathan Cleary, Brian To'o and Payne Haas are the only players I've seen pretty much locked into their positions for Game III (although there's always someone in the comments calling for Cleary to be dumped), and injuries to Latrell Mitchell and Casey McLean apparently saving us from a complete overhaul of the NSW side.

Otherwise there have been calls for:

Dylan Edwards to replace James Tedesco

Ethan Strange to replace Mitchell Moses

Cameron Murray to replace Isaah Yeo, who would move to prop or the bench

Haumole Olakau'atu to replace Dylan Lucas, who replaced Olakau'atu for Game II

Api Koroisau to replace Reece Robson

And basically a complete retooling of the bench, which has been a bit of a debacle for the Blues in the series thus far

All the while, Queensland is almost certainly to stick with the side that got the job done so emphatically in Origin II in Melbourne.

What do you want to see happen when the teams are named?

Key Event

Fri 26 Jun 2026 at 5:03pm

Fri 26 Jun 2026 at 5:03pm

LATE MAIL: The latest chapter in the great Canterbury experiment confirmed

By Jon Healy

Last week we saw, not for the first time, Matt Burton and Stephen Crichton switch positions mid-game as the Bulldogs searched for a spark in attack.

It worked in the end, with Crichton nailing the game-winning field goal against the Sea Eagles, so this week we've seen him named in the six for the first time.

He's play five-eighth for Samoa before and certainly has the skill for it, but it is yet another intriguing chapter in this baffling Bulldogs experiment that has been trying to get back on the rails ever since they signed Lachie Galvin last year.

In another twist, veteran half Sean O'Sullivan returns to the bench after missing the team completely the past few weeks.

Key Event

Fri 26 Jun 2026 at 4:41pm

Fri 26 Jun 2026 at 4:41pm

Welcome to Friday night footy

By Jon Healy

The NRL is all in Queensland tonight as the Titans host the Bulldogs on the Gold Coast, before the Broncos and Roosters face off at Lang Park.

Round 17 is in full swing with one eye on State of Origin III selections on Monday morning.

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