Canterbury Bulldogs head coach has revealed Friday evening's win over the Melbourne Storm was one of the most frustrating of his coaching career.
The coach oversaw his side take a win that moves them into the top eight, at least temporarily, against a very understrength Melbourne in the Victorian capital.
It's a game which could see the Bulldogs qualify for the finals, although they'll need to be good on the run home.
It was a second half run that allowed the Bulldogs to slip away with the contest after falling behind at various points early, with plenty of controversy from the refereeing going both ways.
Ciraldo refused comment on the referees, but admitted to being frustrated throughout the game.
'Pleased, but it was a very frustrating game. I don't know if I've seen one like it in a while,” Ciraldo said post-match.
“Really frustrating and I didn't think we were at our best for a long period, but I thought we were at our best mentally.
“Really happy how we handled some of the adversity and stuff that was happening. I thought we stayed really process-driven and didn't let that frustration get to us and ultimately got away with it in the end.”
The Bulldogs were awarded a try despite appearing to have knocked the ball on during the second half, but were otherwise viewed by many to have been on the rough end of the officiating throughout the evening.
Ciraldo though said he was comfortable with the decision to sin bin Bauley Hayward, although questioned why a sin bin wasn't the decision for Melbourne at another point of the game.
“I'm okay with that,” Ciraldo said.
“I didn't watch it too closely, and I can't hear what they're saying, but I would have thought maybe if that was the case that we probably got sin-bin down the other end when he got hit three or four seconds late there.
“I'll cop that one, but I'm probably going to ask why we didn't get one down the other end.”
The win for the Belmore-based outfit now likely has them in a position where three wins from their final five games - to be played against the Sydney Roosters, South Sydney Rabbitohs, St George Illawarra Dragons, Penrith Panthers and Brisbane Broncos - will be enough to get them into the top eight.
