With just one game remaining before the finals, Canterbury faces a defining question: has their mid-season spine reshuffle derailed their campaign?
Their once fluent attack has struggled since Lachlan Galvin replaced Toby Sexton at halfback.
Before Galvin's arrival, the Bulldogs were flying. Nine wins from 11 games had them on top of the ladder, full of confidence and rhythm.
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Since his introduction, however, they've won just seven of 11. The once-slick spine appears disjointed, and finals football demands consistency.
Matty Johns voiced his concerns, questioning whether Galvin was ready for the responsibility of wearing the halfback jersey.
"In my opinion, at this point of his career, he is a six or a 13," he said on SEN’s Morning Glory with Matty Johns.
Johns added that organising a side while still learning the system is "very, very difficult." The Bulldogs' results since the switch seem to prove him right.
But Galvin's shift isn't the only call causing controversy. Reed Mahoney's demotion to the bench has drawn criticism, most recently from Cameron Smith.
"I really think Reed Mahoney should be back in that number nine jersey," Smith said on Nine's post-game panel.
Smith argued that the Bulldogs "play more direct when Reed is there" and highlighted Mahoney's kicking game as a vital finals weapon.
"We've seen him kick 40/20's and one big 40/20 kick or one long early kick at the right time in these finals games, and they can really shift the momentum."
The 27-year-old hooker was once central to the Bulldogs' resurgence. Now, he's watching Bailey Hayward take his minutes.
Cameron Ciraldo clearly has a long-term vision. But with the finals looming, pragmatism might outweigh development.
A return to the original spine could restore the clarity Canterbury needs in pressure situations.
The Bulldogs remain in the top-four. But with the attack stuttering, Ciraldo faces a big decision: trust the new combination, or go back to what's worked in the past?