BULLDOGS coach Dean Pay has reacted to the club’s poor start to the season by axing five-eighth Matt Frawley in favour of rookie Jeremy Marshall-King.

The younger brother of Wests Tigers star Benji Marshall, Marshall-King has played the opening two matches of the season for the Bulldogs off the interchange bench.

The decision from Pay comes after the Bulldogs opened the season by leaking 66 points — the club’s worst defensive start to a year since 1971.

Marshall-King, 22, will be paired alongside Bulldogs star recruit Kieran Foran as the club prepares to meet the undefeated Panthers at ANZ Stadium on Friday.

Round 20

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Bulldogs recruit Jeremy Marshall-King will make his starting debut for the Bulldogs. Source: Supplied

After getting his breakthrough at NRL level under Des Hasler last year, the 23-year-old Frawley has been in and out of the side and has failed to grab his chance.

With Moses Mbye switched to fullback in the off-season it was always going to be a toss-up for Pay when he chose the half best suited to pairing Foran.

While Marshall-King is next cab off the rank, injured 26-year-old Josh Cleeland also has his supporters and will likely get his shot in the NRL at some stage this year.

Cleeland was injured his ankle in his Round 1 appearance for Canterbury’s Intrust Super Premiership side and is yet to return.

While the Bulldogs are yet to hit their stride in attack, Frawley has put up reasonable numbers, breaking the line and setting up a try in each of their two losses to start the season.

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Where the side has really struggled is in defence, with Brett Morris saying he was disappointed in an area of the game the club prided itself on in the Hasler era.

“We’ve prided ourselves on our defence over the last few years and it hasn’t been up to scratch over the last few years, so for the players that’s something we need to address and work on and really improve in the next few weeks.”

Frawley missed two tackles in the Bulldogs’ loss to the Roosters.