JT, Smith urge 'one-dimensional' Dogs to ditch experiment

He's become an interesting case over the past month, but the calls are growing louder for Reed Mahoney to be brought back into the Bulldogs starting team.

The dummy-half will leave the club at season's end to join the Cowboys, but had been a focal point of the side's rise from the cellar to competition heavyweights.

The 27-year-old was one of the first big signings for Canterbury as part of their rebuild, but has spent more time on the bench than on the field in recent weeks after Bailey Hayward was promoted to the starting line-up in round 23.

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Mahoney played a combined 57 minutes across three games against the Warriors, Roosters and Storm - in which the Bulldogs ended up losing two - after being dumped to the bench in favour of rising star and local product Hayward.

He was then injected into the game for 27 minutes during Thursday night's win over the undermanned Panthers, which saw the Belmore-based outfit lock in a top-four spot.

While they came away with the win, the jury is still out on Canterbury's attack heading into the finals, and Mahoney's situation is being linked to some of the issues.

"They say there's a lot of improvement in them but I tell you what, they're starting to run out [of time] to get it right," Johnathan Thurston said on Nine's post-game panel.

"They've got one more round and then it's showtime. They want to start getting it right, because we've heard it for a number of weeks now.

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"I just don't know where I see that improvement. [I am] questioning whether Reed Mahoney can create that spark that they need.

"They are just one-dimensional and they don't have a plan B or plan C."

Cameron Smith - the consensus greatest hooker in the sport's history - backed the call from Thurston to go back to what was working earlier in the season and have Mahoney start the game in the dummy-half role and Hayward come off the bench as a utility.

"They've made several changes; it's not just Reed Mahoney that has been taken out of the starting line-up," the former Queensland and Australian captain said.

"I agree with JT, I really think Reed Mahoney should be back in that No.9 jersey. I think they are a better side, they play more direct when Reed is there.

"I think he creates more of a threat from that ruck area, which is vitally important coming into these big games, particularly with his ability to kick the football.

"We've seen him kick 40/20s 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 back in your favour.

"Cameron Ciraldo has different ideas with the changes that he's made over the past month or six weeks, but I like the style of footballer that Reed Mahoney is."

The other big change made by Ciraldo in the second half of the year has seen halfback Toby Sexton drop out of the side completely and Lachlan Galvin taking over the No.7 spot on a permanent basis alongside five-eighth Matt Burton.

Canterbury will take on the Sharks in the final round of the regular season.