Should Matt Burton Switch to Lock? Why the Modern Number 13 Might Be His Best Position

Matt Burton sits right at the centre of that debate heading into 2026. Where is his best position? Half? Centre? Fullback? Or is the answer one Bulldogs fans have not fully embraced yet.

The Bulldogs are entering a new phase under Cameron Ciraldo. The focus has shifted from patchwork solutions to long-term planning. Mitchell Woods is being openly talked about as the halfback of the future. Lachlan Galvin looks like a genuine long-term six. That leaves Burton in an awkward position if he is viewed purely as a halves player.

This is not an indictment on Burton. It is a reflection of the Bulldogs finally having genuine young talent pushing through. The question now is how to get the best out of all three without stalling development.

Burton is at his most dangerous when the game opens up. When he can roam. When he can inject himself into play rather than being tied to steering the team around the park.

As a half, he is expected to control tempo, manage long kicking games, and organise defensive lines. Those responsibilities limit what makes him special. His power running, elite ball playing, and ability to break defensive structures are his true strengths.

Lock removes those constraints.

The modern number 13 is a third half in attack. Isaiah Yeo has redefined the role. Cameron Murray has elevated it. Even players like Victor Radley have shown how influential a ball-playing lock can be.

Burton fits that mould naturally.

He has the size to handle the middle. He has the passing game to link both edges. He has the kicking ability to add unpredictability. And crucially, he stays involved far more than he does at centre or in the halves.

This is not a demotion. It is an evolution.

Moving Burton to lock instantly simplifies the Bulldogs’ biggest dilemma. Woods can own the seven jersey. Galvin can grow into the six role. Burton becomes the connective piece.

In attack, Burton can sit on either side of the ruck. He can run sweep plays without telegraphing them. He can square defenders and free up outside backs. In defence, he becomes a physical presence in the middle rather than being isolated on an edge.

Most importantly, the Bulldogs get their three best ball players on the field at the same time without compromising development.

There has been talk of Burton playing centre or even fullback. Both options feel like compromises rather than solutions.

At centre, his touches drop. His influence shrinks. At fullback, his defensive workload increases in ways that do not suit his strengths. Lock allows Burton to play instinctively while still being central to everything the Bulldogs do.

It is the position that maximises his skillset rather than forcing him to adapt.

This choice is not just about Matt Burton. It is about what kind of team the Bulldogs want to be.

If they want to lean into modern footy, ball movement, and spine cohesion, the answer is clear. Burton at lock gives them flexibility, unpredictability, and balance.

It may not be the most traditional solution. But the Bulldogs are no longer a club chasing tradition. They are building something new.

And in that system, Matt Burton as a modern number 13 makes more sense than anywhere else.