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Dogs take off for Vegas backing their half's hamstring
Scott Bailey, AAP • February 19th, 2026 6:00 pm
Canterbury say they're not taking a gamble with Matt Burton's fitness for their US season opener | Photo: Dan Himbrechts/AAP
Canterbury have declared Matt Burton ready to go for Las Vegas, after the star half trained unimpeded and joined the Bulldogs as the first side to take off for Sin City.
Burton was among a trio of notable flyers at Sydney Airport on Thursday, with Jacob Kiraz and Marcelo Montoya also checking in despite injury concerns.
Canterbury will be without prop Leo Thompson for their season opener against St George Illawarra, after he suffered a serious hamstring tear while in All Stars camp.
But the news is better for Burton, who limped off the field in Saturday's trial against Newcastle before scans cleared him of any hamstring tear..
The Bulldogs have the option to play it safe with Burton given a round-two bye means their next match after Vegas is March 19, but coach Cameron Ciraldo said the five-eighth would play.
Matt Burton didn't hold back against Newcastle before leaving the game early | Photo: Darren Pateman/AAP
"He's ready to go. He trained really well with us yesterday. No restrictions or anything like that," Ciraldo said.
"He's looking very healthy now.
"It's quite stressful leading up to Vegas and things like that. You feel something little and you can probably make it in your head a little bit bigger than what it is."
Canterbury fly direct to Los Angeles from Sydney, before a brief stopover and another flight to Vegas.
They will spend the most time in the city ahead of the February 28 fixtures at Allegiant Stadium, with the Knights and North Queensland to fly out Friday and the Dragons on Saturday.
Asked whether the long-haul travel was any concern with a soft-tissue scare, Ciraldo insisted that was not an issue for Burton.
"He had no strain there on the scan and he didn't train like he had a strain there yesterday," Ciraldo said.
Brian Seeney on the Bulldogs injury problems
Canterbury have Sean O'Sullivan on the extended six-man bench, under the NRL's new interchange rules for this season.
Ciraldo joked on Thursday that those rules meant little to him, given the Dogs were branded a "team of utilities" by critics in the lead up to past seasons.
Kiraz was also sporting a compression sleeve on his right calf while entering the airport, after also battling lower-leg issues last year.
He has not yet played a trial this season, with winger Montoya also suffering an ankle scare against Newcastle last weekend.
"Those guys are tracking really nicely," Ciraldo said.
"We'll see how they pull up when we get there and how they train on Sunday."
Jacob Kiraz has been a keen observer of Canterbury's trials against the Cowboys and Knights | Photo: Mark Evans/AAP
Thompson, however, is a blow for the Bulldogs.
Brought down from Newcastle on a four-year deal, the 25-year-old pulled out of All Stars clash with calf tightness before scans uncovered a grade-three tear.
Canterbury now fear he will miss the first two months of the season.
The Bulldogs pack punched well above their weight last campaign, meaning they will essentially go into this year with their 2025 line-up and Sam Hughes likely to play.
"We initially thought it was a tight calf, but scans showed it was a bit more than that," Ciraldo said.
"It's unfortunate he's not joining us here, but his best possible preparation for the season now is to stay in Sydney and get the right treatment.
"We're really comfortable with the depth in the squad."
