Why Stephen Crichton is now the best leader in rugby league

The phone hook-ups have been therapeutic and beneficial, Crichton admits.

“The meetings basically give you a different perspective on how to deal with your own team,” Crichton said. “The others will come to the meeting with their problems, discuss how they should solve it, and how we would solve those same issues in our own code.

“I’ve found it to be a huge help. We’ve had nine or 10 sessions already, and it will keep going all year. It’s just nice to hear how problems are solved in soccer, netball, basketball or AFL.

“One thing I’ve tried to do is learn more about the boys – not just about their footy, but their partner’s names, and the names of their family members.

“That way, after each game, when the families are in the sheds, you can address them by their names. Hopefully, they remember those moments. They’re a part of our family as well.”

Crichton’s ability to bring people together has been noticed – and appreciated – by players past and present.

“His communication, on and off the field, he brings that every single day,” Bulldogs back-rower Jacob Preston said. “Secondly, he’s a great connector of people. He understands each individual for who they are, and he can connect those people and brings everyone together. He makes everyone feel like they’re important.”

Peter Mortimer, a three-time premiership winner with the Bulldogs in the 1980s, made the trek to Vegas and was grateful to have met Crichton several times. He praised the club and Ciraldo for making the effort to regularly include the former players at games and events.

“First of all, he’s a good person, he cares for those around him, and he demands that from them to care for him as well; he sets the example, so others will follow, and in this case, they really do,” Mortimer said.

Canterbury security guard Koni Liutai, a powerful Tongan often seen chaperoning the players to and from grounds, first met Crichton five years ago when he was at Penrith and a “timid young kid”.

“I’ve seen him come out of his shell and lead and mature, and the success has never gone to his head,” Liutai said.

Crichton and his wife Leone make a point of driving Liutai home after each home game, with Crichton happy to squeeze into the back seat. It might mean nothing to Crichton, but it is the kind of gesture Liutai and his family will never forget.

Crichton won three premierships at Penrith and has become a NSW Blues regular. The salary-cap squeeze at the Panthers gave Ciraldo the perfect opportunity to pounce, and the coach knew Crichton was the perfect candidate to lead his Belmore revolution when he arrived for the start of the 2024 season.

Crichton, still only 25, said he fell into the trap of trying to do too much in that first year as skipper, which meant he started neglecting the things that had made him such a devastating player. This year, he will switch from the right side to left centre. He is excited about this season.

An ankle injury suffered in the qualifying final defeat to Melbourne last year sidelined Crichton for the semi against Penrith, won 46-26 by the Panthers. TV cameras captured the skipper looking stony-faced in the stands at half-time as his teammates headed to the sheds trailing 36-8, powerless to help as their season slipped away.

Crichton is entitled to be bitter at the way such a promising season came to an end. But he is not.

“Watching that game burnt me a lot,” Crichton said. “It was against my old club. But I also know everything happens for a reason.

“I don’t dwell on things, especially injuries – injuries happen for a reason, and there’s always a blessing behind it. As much as I was devastated at the time, had I not been injured, I would have played for Samoa rather than go to Fiji with my partner. Had I not gone to Fiji, she wouldn’t have had the chance to fall pregnant.”

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Crichton and Leone are expecting their first child in July.

The Bulldogs go into the 2026 season optimistic of again challenging come September. Plenty of attention will be focused on Lachie Galvin and how the young halfback holds his nerve after he was heavily scrutinised for some of his performances following his mid-season arrival from the Wests Tigers.

The Dogs know much will be written and said about Galvin, and feel no need to add to the narrative. Galvin remains the only player from all clubs off limits to the media in Vegas.

Crichton says he saw something that night in the loss to the Panthers that reminded him Galvin will be special.

“I never thought we were out of the fight that night, and we even scored a few late tries, and it was all off the back of Lachie’s ball-playing,” Crichton said.

“We’ve got a superstar of the future. It was the biggest game he had played in, and that experience will benefit us in the long run.

“No ‘GOAT’ of the game doesn’t go through any backlash. If you’re a good player and not copping that, it means you’re doing something wrong. I’m excited to see what Lachie can do this year.”

The game is just as excited to see what Crichton does.