Overview
- The Bulldogs overturned a 12-point halftime deficit to beat Melbourne 30-20 at Accor Stadium on Friday, snapping a five-match losing run and moving to equal 12th on the ladder.
- Matt Burton produced his best game of the season, finishing with 252 run metres, two line breaks and seven tackle busts that fuelled the second-half comeback.
- Rookie Jack Underhill delivered a game-changing low tackle on Alec MacDonald, forced a turnover and then charged down a Jahrome Hughes kick, with a knock-on ruling later overturned on review.
- Back-rower Jacob Preston suffered a broken arm about 10 minutes into the match and will be sidelined while the club adjusts selection for next week's game against Wests Tigers.
- Coach Cameron Ciraldo and football boss Phil Gould publicly denounced circulating rumours as damaging to the group, and reports say Burton — who is off contract at the end of 2027 — has drawn reported interest from the expansion Perth Bears and unconfirmed whispers about Parramatta.