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2026 Squad

mr_c said:
they won't be keeping burton long term at halfs he be back in centre or fullback

thing i don't get they let the two gun half's come here from dogs but want get rid of there seniors halfs in favor of two that really ain't show a great dea, yes one has huge rapt on him but come on two young halfs together would suggest pressure will go on big time ( tells mw team and there halfs are on hiding to nothing if senior halfs go )
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Burton will get punted. They wont be paying him that much to play centre. And they want to keep signing people, whilst making it look like they are cap compliant.

They will be paying him to play elsewhere.

Its a club of cheats. If they arent shady im not here.
 
Josh said:
Looks like he has decided something like, "Fuck it! I'd rather get sacked than drop my boy." You are right about the Tigers. I think they might be the Canberra from this year. The team which surprises everyone. Maybe not minor premiers but top 8. The young players Benji promoted early are now at or close to the top of their game. I'm going with this in no particular order.
  • Dolphins
  • Broncos
  • Wests Tigers
  • Canberra
  • Souths
  • Melbourne
  • Penrith
  • NZ
Sorry Matt, Bulldogs to miss out. They have two 5/8s but not a halfback. Fullback and hooker also very average.
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Reading the paper yesterday, Chammas has us in the top four, Brent read the biggest bluffer since the piss wreck baldy has us in 15th place WTF, with his beloved donkeys on top news corp seriously hate the dolphins
 
Brent R is one of the few journos i dont read.

On NRL 360 he has the worst takes, even with Gordie on the show.

If he had us in the top 4, I would be worried. Im glad he has the broncos top and us 15, you can be sure that wont happen.
 
Dolphins best 17

This is according to News Ltd. I think Gilbert has to play in the middle. If anything Plath will be #12 and Gilbert #13.

Also when Bostock is back he'll be on the wing. I think Cobbo will go to centre and Averillo will drop out.
 
Equaliser said:
Dolphins best 17

This is according to News Ltd. I think Gilbert has to play in the middle. If anything Plath will be #12 and Gilbert #13.

Also when Bostock is back he'll be on the wing. I think Cobbo will go to centre and Averillo will drop out.
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Agree.


That is a very balanced side (pre-Bostock return).

Future proof too. In the past with Kaufusi out, we were in trouble. If he were to drop off that bench, we wouldnt be in so much trouble quality wise. We loose a backrower, Kurt comes in. We loose a back/half (Once Bostock is back) Averillo comes in. Its got quality, depth, speed and plenty of size up front. It is seriously balanced like a mofo.

Loving it, so pumped for this year.

Its the year of Woolf. We have it on the park now, we need to see a move into the top 8 at the very least. If that doesn't happen, my questions will lie with whether Woolf is capable of taking the team to the next level. I believe he can, I like him heaps, and I think we see a push this year.
 
According to Fox Sports. I think they might be right.

14. SELWYN COBBO TOP TRY-SCORER ​

The Dolphins had a formidable backline last year and scored plenty of points, and if they didn’t have a horror injury list in the forwards they likely would have made the finals.

Add Selwyn Cobbo on the end of a backline featuring Isaiya Katoa and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and he should score plenty of tries in 2026 and we are tipping him to score the most.

Add in the fact Cobbo reunites with former Broncos teammate Herbie Farnworth, who is one of the best centres in the game and Cobbo can have a field day on the Dolphins flank next season.

The only thing stopping Cobbo is if the Dolphins play him in the centres or at fullback, but if he is on the wing he will be one of the leading candidates to score the most tries in 2026.
 
Josh said:
Looks like he has decided something like, "Fuck it! I'd rather get sacked than drop my boy." You are right about the Tigers. I think they might be the Canberra from this year. The team which surprises everyone. Maybe not minor premiers but top 8. The young players Benji promoted early are now at or close to the top of their game. I'm going with this in no particular order.
  • Dolphins
  • Broncos
  • Wests Tigers
  • Canberra
  • Souths
  • Melbourne
  • Penrith
  • NZ
Sorry Matt, Bulldogs to miss out. They have two 5/8s but not a halfback. Fullback and hooker also very average.
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Josh Josh no need to be sorry it's an opinion and you raise valid points. Gus has to get it right and really only has Vegas to experiment since Dragons game is a defacto bye for them. How they use Burton and Galvin and when he pulls the trigger on Woods all key points. A massive gamble flicking Mahoney as well. If he messes around with the 6-7-9 it'll have a negative impact on them they would be better off moving Burton to centre now and going with Galvin and O'Sullivan and persist with O'Sullivan until his form drops off than go with Woods and not look back from there.

Wests Tigers is a wildcard not many would pick. What the idiots do at Ashfield and Balmain doesn't affect Benji and he showed last month that for all his limitations in coaching experience he is a leader above all things something Terry Reader actually noted on Dawn of the Dolphins episode 1 when discussing the Bennett successor he was at Broncos in admin role when Benji signed with them.

I'm not as sold on Souths they're relying on Bennett to get a few bad boys all reformed and firing at once and have some aging players Bennett failed with Milford and Schuster.

Credit to Penrith where they got too losing so many players and done their rebuild within a season and still got to 4th only.

Broncos set the bar last year especially with their training and fitness levels that was so evident in the finals.

Dolphins have the talent to make the top 4 and they have a good crop of players now coming through the pathways. More than Naufahu will begin to emerge in 2026. A lot of players are hitting their peaks how Gilbert and Flegler perform after long lay offs is very crucial. They need a fair run with injuries, concentrate better in games and can't lose Herbie or Katoa for a single minute.
 

QLD team power rankings​

Dolphins​

Current Qld power ranking: 2 (85)

Anything but a finals appearance from Kristian Woolf’s side will be looked as a fail for the Dolphins after going so close to making the playoffs in 2025.

Star halfback Isaiya Katoa has another year of footy under his belt and looks primed to lead the Dolphins, who scored the most points (721) in the regular season last year, to the finals.

Code stats reveal the 21-year-old halfback had the most try involvements (59) in 2025, the equal first most try assists (31) and also the most line engagements (463).

Adding to the hype around the Dolphins is not just the arrival of Selwyn Cobbo but also the long-awaited returns from injury of Tom Gilbert and Thomas Flegler - talk about firepower.

Dolphins’ power ranking breakdown:

  • Attack: 24
  • Defence: 16
  • Squad strength: 22
  • Pre-season: 23
  • Total: 85/100

Predicted end-of-season Qld power ranking: 2

Returning cattle and more strike in an already potent backline will see them finish as the second best Queensland side but that’s nothing to be sneezed at when it’s the Broncos they will sit behind.
 
Equaliser said:

QLD team power rankings​

Dolphins​

Current Qld power ranking: 2 (85)

Anything but a finals appearance from Kristian Woolf’s side will be looked as a fail for the Dolphins after going so close to making the playoffs in 2025.

Star halfback Isaiya Katoa has another year of footy under his belt and looks primed to lead the Dolphins, who scored the most points (721) in the regular season last year, to the finals.

Code stats reveal the 21-year-old halfback had the most try involvements (59) in 2025, the equal first most try assists (31) and also the most line engagements (463).

Adding to the hype around the Dolphins is not just the arrival of Selwyn Cobbo but also the long-awaited returns from injury of Tom Gilbert and Thomas Flegler - talk about firepower.

Dolphins’ power ranking breakdown:

  • Attack: 24
  • Defence: 16
  • Squad strength: 22
  • Pre-season: 23
  • Total: 85/100

Predicted end-of-season Qld power ranking: 2

Returning cattle and more strike in an already potent backline will see them finish as the second best Queensland side but that’s nothing to be sneezed at when it’s the Broncos they will sit behind.
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Saw the article. We are really starting to get some love. According to these News LTD people, we have surged ahead of the Cowboys and sit just below the Broncos.
 
Red said:
We are a lock forward producing machine. Who is the Bulldogs lock and who can we swap one or two for? Maybe we give Bulldogs a lock and they give us Burton? TBH, apart from his kicking, Burton looks more like a centre to me.
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The thing I don't get about the Bulldogs recruitment. Is the signing of players to play them out of position, and to try and convert players into something they are not. Then they rationalize the signing by saying they played there in the juniors. Playing Juniors and NRL are two different games. Like any other sport.

Here is a novel idea, instead of cheating the cap and spending overs, and cap space on players and trying to convert them into something they are not, why not spend the same money on players that fit what you're trying to do. Its absolutely dumb, and is masked by people who are media darlings.

Burton, Galvin, Lots in their forward pack. Dumb, dumb, dumb. In one foul swoop they went from contenders to going out in straight sets. Even the dumbest commentator of all called it.
 
Liverbird with Phins up said:
The thing I don't get about the Bulldogs recruitment. Is the signing of players to play them out of position, and to try and convert players into something they are not. Then they rationalize the signing by saying they played there in the juniors. Playing Juniors and NRL are two different games. Like any other sport.

Here is a novel idea, instead of cheating the cap and spending overs, and cap space on players and trying to convert them into something they are not, why not spend the same money on players that fit what you're trying to do. Its absolutely dumb, and is masked by people who are media darlings.

Burton, Galvin, Lots in their forward pack. Dumb, dumb, dumb. In one foul swoop they went from contenders to going out in straight sets. Even the dumbest commentator of all called it.
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i think it comes down to one thing very few of the agents trust gus , and he has the few he does getting him players think same thing happens at tigers
 
Red said:
We are a lock forward producing machine. Who is the Bulldogs lock and who can we swap one or two for? Maybe we give Bulldogs a lock and they give us Burton? TBH, apart from his kicking, Burton looks more like a centre to me.
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Lots of challenges ahead for the Bulldogs they can either win the comp or crash out.

They have 3 locks they got Kurt Mann current origin player, Jaemon Salmon who I don’t rate but he’s loved by Gus & Ciraldo and Finau Latu who they signed from the Dragons junior system.

Charlie is a good prospect and the challenges ahead for Dolphins is creating a clear progression for their juniors into the Top 17. Same with Garton, Nonu and others.
 
257Matt said:
Lots of challenges ahead for the Bulldogs they can either win the comp or crash out.

They have 3 locks they got Kurt Mann current origin player, Jaemon Salmon who I don’t rate but he’s loved by Gus & Ciraldo and Finau Latu who they signed from the Dragons junior system.

Charlie is a good prospect and the challenges ahead for Dolphins is creating a clear progression for their juniors into the Top 17. Same with Garton, Nonu and others.
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That is thew case for every club but one.
 
Equaliser said:
That is thew case for every club but one.
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Correct but the crash could be based around selections, how to manage Galvin & Burton and when to promote Woods. Lots of noise still surrounding Gus trying to sign Bula.

As for Dolphins the topic of discussion there’s so many prospects emerging like Dickson, Nonu, Garton, Fineanganofo, Kailahi, Tait, McKay and Rasmussen that they’ll need a clear pathway into first grade or clubs will coming knocking. It’s a very fine line and only Melbourne have got it right over a long period of time and Penrith more recently.
 
257Matt said:
Correct but the crash could be based around selections, how to manage Galvin & Burton and when to promote Woods. Lots of noise still surrounding Gus trying to sign Bula.

As for Dolphins the topic of discussion there’s so many prospects emerging like Dickson, Nonu, Garton, Fineanganofo, Kailahi, Tait, McKay and Rasmussen that they’ll need a clear pathway into first grade or clubs will coming knocking. It’s a very fine line and only Melbourne have got it right over a long period of time and Penrith more recently.
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Didn't Bula extend with Wests Tigers?
 
Red said:
We are a lock forward producing machine. Who is the Bulldogs lock and who can we swap one or two for? Maybe we give Bulldogs a lock and they give us Burton? TBH, apart from his kicking, Burton looks more like a centre to me.
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Regardless of what we get in return who is your lock who goes? I reckon Gilbert would do the best of our top 3 lock options if he had to shift to prop, then plath and jyd probably tied for second, at second row I have a feeling with more time jyd could beat out the other two, and at lock it depends what game you want. Frankly I would have plath and jyd swapping 14 and 13 each week just doing what they do until one really stands out and Gilbert goes to second row and stays there.

Don't forget we have ray stone too. I'd have him start at lock in a wet game at a shit ground, with jyd at 9 and plath at 14 so they can not worry about the ball as much as just getting mean and grinding away an opposition for 80 minutes.

Poor woolfy. This is a hard one to figure out. JYD is still my starting lock and I'll be sad if we lose him.
 
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