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‘He was in hospital’: Ciraldo reveals toll of Dogs’ horror week before season-saving win Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo has revealed the club endured a horror week leading up to Saturday’s much-needed win over the Dragons, with one star even spending a stint in hospital. Watch every game of every round of the Premiership Season LIVE with no ad-breaks during play on FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1. The Bulldogs played some of their best footy of the season to keep their slim top eight hopes alive but their preparation was anything but ideal as Ciraldo told reporters in his post-match press conference. Star back rower Jacob Preston was on a drip dealing with an infection according to Ciraldo, but you wouldn’t have known it given his performance against the Dragons. Preston, who knocked back a three-year, $1.9 million extension offer during the week, was one of the Bulldogs’ best in the 44-14 win. “He actually didn’t train with us the last two days, he was in hospital with an infection, so he was on a drip uh the last couple of days, so maybe might have to do that next week as well because he played pretty good,” Ciraldo quipped before revealing several players had Covid at the start of the week. “These things happen in a footy season, every team goes through it. A lot of them you don’t hear about,” he said. “I was a bit harsh on the boys last week, and then you rock up Monday and about five of them have tested positive to Covid, so no wonder they’re a bit flat. I don’t know, these things happen. When asked if the Covid drama was legitimate, Ciraldo replied: “I don’t tell lies”. Matt Burton was another player who had a chequered preparation this week after he went back to his home town of Dubbo to deal with a family matter according to his coach. Burton was sensational, with the switch to right centre paying dividends. He worked well on that side of the field with Preston and Lachlan Galvin, who also enjoyed a strong game. “Burto had to go back to Dubbo and didn’t get much training in,” Ciraldo revealed. “He wanted the opportunity to go up against Val Holmes and I thought that was a really good sign of his mentality and where he was at. “He hasn’t played right side much at all but he wanted that challenge. I loved some of his effort plays. “I just feel like the move balanced up the team a bit.”