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Ciraldo, having crunched the numbers on their success, has urged less is more for Burton’s aerial assaults.
And then, again in the name of balance, Burton has greater licence to roam and run – which he is taking like never before.
“At the start of the year, I wasn’t getting enough runs early in the game,” he says.
“That’s something I really focused on, trying to get my hands on the ball. I’m just learning more about the game and how my style of game is played.
“Obviously, I’m working hard on it at training and picking up little things, and [a key learning] is picking my moments as well.
“In the past, I’ve had moments where I’ve tried to do things myself, trying to work it out. But now I can pick that moment to do things, and it works better for the side.”
Like that booming 70-metre kick in the wet, which as Slater noted, beat Warriors fullback Taine Tuapiki to the sideline even though he wasn’t in any way out of position.
Or the devastating running game that sang sweetest when Canterbury’s attack did the same in carving up Manly 42-4 at Allianz Stadium last month.
Despite playing just 15 games so far this year through a knee injury and NSW Origin call-ups, Burton’s line break (eight) and tackle bust (55) tallies are already on par with his previous three seasons at Canterbury, when he’s barely missed a game.
His average of 114 run metres and 11 runs per game are also his best in blue and white as he truly finds a home at five-eighth.
Undoubtedly, the improved stock around him throughout the Bulldogs rise – think Stephen Crichton, Bronson Xerri, Viliame Kikau, Jacob Preston, Connor Tracey and now Lachlan Galvin – gives defences more to worry about.
Burton too, has less to concern himself with given Galvin is an especially hands-on, on-ball halfback. Bailey Hayward now adds his ball playing background to the mix at hooker, along with several small-bodied forwards who shape Canterbury’s mobile attack.
The 25-year-old hasn’t felt his play making role shift significantly throughout the upheaval of first Galvin coming into the halves for Toby Sexton, and then Hayward starting at dummy-half for Reed Mahoney.
Mostly because in 2025, Burton, all 190 centimetres and 96 kilos of him, can just run.
“Burto’s got a pretty simple blueprint,” Ciraldo says.
Matt Burton on the fly.Credit: Getty Images
“He’s such an instinctive player, but he just needs opportunities to get himself in the game. And because he’s so selfless, sometimes he’s thinking about giving the ball to other people more than looking for himself.
“But we need him looking for himself, and if he does tha,t then those opportunities will open up for people around him.”
Ciraldo speaks of a maturing in Burton this season at the age of 25, but “because he’s got a lot of experience we all sort of expect him to play like a 30-year-old playmaker”.
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The coach reckons his $800,000-a-year pivot is fitter and more disciplined than he’s ever seen with his diet and preparation.
Teammates have clocked Burton growing increasingly vocal in team meetings on and off the field. The extra analysis work that Ciraldo first had to encourage is now combining with Burton’s natural talent and footballing instincts.
“And he’s still learning his own game,” Ciraldo says.
’But I think he’s made giant strides forward this year. And we all know when Burto plays well, the team plays well. So he’s a really important part of what we’re doing”.
NRL is Live and Free on Channel 9 & 9Now.
Ciraldo, having crunched the numbers on their success, has urged less is more for Burton’s aerial assaults.
And then, again in the name of balance, Burton has greater licence to roam and run – which he is taking like never before.
“At the start of the year, I wasn’t getting enough runs early in the game,” he says.
“That’s something I really focused on, trying to get my hands on the ball. I’m just learning more about the game and how my style of game is played.
“Obviously, I’m working hard on it at training and picking up little things, and [a key learning] is picking my moments as well.
“In the past, I’ve had moments where I’ve tried to do things myself, trying to work it out. But now I can pick that moment to do things, and it works better for the side.”
Like that booming 70-metre kick in the wet, which as Slater noted, beat Warriors fullback Taine Tuapiki to the sideline even though he wasn’t in any way out of position.
Or the devastating running game that sang sweetest when Canterbury’s attack did the same in carving up Manly 42-4 at Allianz Stadium last month.
Despite playing just 15 games so far this year through a knee injury and NSW Origin call-ups, Burton’s line break (eight) and tackle bust (55) tallies are already on par with his previous three seasons at Canterbury, when he’s barely missed a game.
His average of 114 run metres and 11 runs per game are also his best in blue and white as he truly finds a home at five-eighth.
Undoubtedly, the improved stock around him throughout the Bulldogs rise – think Stephen Crichton, Bronson Xerri, Viliame Kikau, Jacob Preston, Connor Tracey and now Lachlan Galvin – gives defences more to worry about.
Burton too, has less to concern himself with given Galvin is an especially hands-on, on-ball halfback. Bailey Hayward now adds his ball playing background to the mix at hooker, along with several small-bodied forwards who shape Canterbury’s mobile attack.
The 25-year-old hasn’t felt his play making role shift significantly throughout the upheaval of first Galvin coming into the halves for Toby Sexton, and then Hayward starting at dummy-half for Reed Mahoney.
Mostly because in 2025, Burton, all 190 centimetres and 96 kilos of him, can just run.
“Burto’s got a pretty simple blueprint,” Ciraldo says.
Matt Burton on the fly.Credit: Getty Images
“He’s such an instinctive player, but he just needs opportunities to get himself in the game. And because he’s so selfless, sometimes he’s thinking about giving the ball to other people more than looking for himself.
“But we need him looking for himself, and if he does tha,t then those opportunities will open up for people around him.”
Ciraldo speaks of a maturing in Burton this season at the age of 25, but “because he’s got a lot of experience we all sort of expect him to play like a 30-year-old playmaker”.
Loading
The coach reckons his $800,000-a-year pivot is fitter and more disciplined than he’s ever seen with his diet and preparation.
Teammates have clocked Burton growing increasingly vocal in team meetings on and off the field. The extra analysis work that Ciraldo first had to encourage is now combining with Burton’s natural talent and footballing instincts.
“And he’s still learning his own game,” Ciraldo says.
’But I think he’s made giant strides forward this year. And we all know when Burto plays well, the team plays well. So he’s a really important part of what we’re doing”.
NRL is Live and Free on Channel 9 & 9Now.
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