2026 Squad

[Dolph]

he's getting game time so obviously doing what the coaches want, hardly see them changing a captain

Gilbert and/or Katoa will be captain.

 

[yonathonjoung]

Ive heard heaps of the players say it's no contest that Gilbert is the most competitive at training and that's why he is captain. After that I can see why kaufusi is next up as an old hard head who really makes the middle of the park and unfriendly place to try and run a ball.

As for Knowles I reckon he is in the middle rotation as well with plath and donga either at 13 and 14 and just playing around there helping jmk from 14 or just giving the other middles a spell. Having those two on hand is so helpful.

And yeah it's a brutal forward pack in the full 17, and last year our under manned pack still aimed up and gave a few teams some pain, which is good to see. Had me wondering if it was Woolf or the captaincy handovers which were spurring them on. Gives me some hope we can make cobbo into something formidable.

 

[mr_c]

going really be intresting if bostock is in the team when comes back if they playing cobbo in centres, which i belive hes played the whole time hes been here

 

[Gary]

Ive heard heaps of the players say it's no contest that Gilbert is the most competitive at training and that's why he is captain. After that I can see why kaufusi is next up as an old hard head who really makes the middle of the park and unfriendly place to try and run a ball.

As for Knowles I reckon he is in the middle rotation as well with plath and donga either at 13 and 14 and just playing around there helping jmk from 14 or just giving the other middles a spell. Having those two on hand is so helpful.

And yeah it's a brutal forward pack in the full 17, and last year our under manned pack still aimed up and gave a few teams some pain, which is good to see. Had me wondering if it was Woolf or the captaincy handovers which were spurring them on. Gives me some hope we can make cobbo into something formidable.

When Woolf was at st helens his pack was an aggressive unit . Same here at the dolphins, that’s why he loves kaufusi and Ray stone

 

[mr_c]

When Woolf was at st helens his pack was an aggressive unit . Same here at the dolphins, that’s why he loves kaufusi and Ray stone

knowles is a wild man too

 

[Red]

When Woolf was at st helens his pack was an aggressive unit . Same here at the dolphins, that’s why he loves kaufusi and Ray stone

To be aggressive like Ray Stone is good. But there were a couple of times last season where I just had to shake my head in regard to Kaufusi. The game against the Warriors which we ended up winning with a last minute try was the point where I went off Kaufusi. In a vital game, with us a couple of points behind, with the injury toll we had in the forwards, in the last 10 or so min and Kaufusi hit the Warriors player late and high. Was penalised, sin binned and suspended. I was stunned personally. That wasn't so much being aggressive but purposely trying to sabotage our chances. That was the way I saw it.

 

[mr_c]

To be aggressive like Ray Stone is good. But there were a couple of times last season where I just had to shake my head in regard to Kaufusi. The game against the Warriors which we ended up winning with a last minute try was the point where I went off Kaufusi. In a vital game, with us a couple of points behind, with the injury toll we had in the forwards, in the last 10 or so min and Kaufusi hit the Warriors player late and high. Was penalised, sin binned and suspended. I was stunned personally. That wasn't so much being aggressive but purposely trying to sabotage our chances. That was the way I sa

no one would do that fuis is one the niceset guys you can meet , lot guys get caught up in the moment it happens , but purposely no way wears heart on his sleeve

 

[Red]

no one would do that fuis is one the niceset guys you can meet , lot guys get caught up in the moment it happens , but purposely no way wears heart on his sleeve

I should say, was so stupid as to seem to be on purpose. I'm not accusing him of trying to throw a game.

 

[Liverbird with Phins up]

going really be intresting if bostock is in the team when comes back if they playing cobbo in centres, which i belive hes played the whole time hes been here

Agree. I initially thought Cobbo may go to fullback, and Hammer to centre.

Hammer will have the choice. And Cobbo will fill in the other spot.

If Woolf can have a good influence on Cobbo, and get him fit, Cobbo has the ability.

I like the recruitment of Cobbo, its a low risk RISK. If it works Woolf is a genius. If it doesn't work Cobbo leaves after a 1 year deal. However, the talent is in there, as seen in the past, its just about getting it out on a consistent basis. I think coaches like Maguire, don't have the ability or man management to do it. Bennett is one of the few that does, and im hoping Woolf will have it too.

 

[mr_c]

Agree. I initially thought Cobbo may go to fullback, and Hammer to centre.

Hammer will have the choice. And Cobbo will fill in the other spot.

If Woolf can have a good influence on Cobbo, and get him fit, Cobbo has the ability.

I like the recruitment of Cobbo, its a low risk RISK. If it works Woolf is a genius. If it doesn't work Cobbo leaves after a 1 year deal. However, the talent is in there, as seen in the past, its just about getting it out on a consistent basis. I think coaches like Maguire, don't have the ability or man management to do it. Bennett is one of the few that does, and im hoping Woolf will have it too.

the other thing i like with no word on jaymane may see cobbo stay longer if goes well



another thing that intrigues me we must have 3 spots left probbaly most of all the teams left surely we may get atleast one outside the club

 

[Gary]

To be aggressive like Ray Stone is good. But there were a couple of times last season where I just had to shake my head in regard to Kaufusi. The game against the Warriors which we ended up winning with a last minute try was the point where I went off Kaufusi. In a vital game, with us a couple of points behind, with the injury toll we had in the forwards, in the last 10 or so min and Kaufusi hit the Warriors player late and high. Was penalised, sin binned and suspended. I was stunned personally. That wasn't so much being aggressive but purposely trying to sabotage our chances. That was the way I saw it.

A lot of the time kaufusi gets done on reputation, I can’t recall the incident your quoting , but kaufusi generally keeps his tackles low it’s the shoulder area he aims at and when a player goes into the line deep kaufusi stays in his lane and hits them and gets penalised and put on report. But in that split second in defence when you are completing a tackle you have to do that lots of players get away with it all the time kaufusi doesn’t. He’s not a malicious player .

 

[Red]

A lot of the time kaufusi gets done on reputation, I can’t recall the incident your quoting , but kaufusi generally keeps his tackles low it’s the shoulder area he aims at and when a player goes into the line deep kaufusi stays in his lane and hits them and gets penalised and put on report. But in that split second in defence when you are completing a tackle you have to do that lots of players get away with it all the time kaufusi doesn’t. He’s not a malicious player .

100%. My pet hate players getting penalised or worse for high shots when the ball runner crouches, slips or falls a moment before impact. But at times, I think Kaufusi pushes it too far and the example I cited was just absurd. No excuse for it at all. The penalty, sinbining and suspension wasn't harsh at all as it often has been with him.

 

[Blockade]

going really be intresting if bostock is in the team when comes back if they playing cobbo in centres, which i belive hes played the whole time hes been here

It will all depend on form, injuries etc. If the Dolphins are flying high at 8-0 and injury free, Woolf probably won't disrupt a winning formula and might send Bostock down to Q Cup initially. But, the Dolphins are unlikely to be undefeated and without injury headaches= Bostock could slot straight back in. We won't know till it actually happens and speculation is pointless.

 

[yonathonjoung]

When Woolf was at st helens his pack was an aggressive unit . Same here at the dolphins, that’s why he loves kaufusi and Ray stone

I've been meaning to try and look at those teams Woolf had in the super league which did so well and see what the DNA was, but after seeing Knowles in the ashes tests I've got a bit of an idea. I'm here for it.

Also cobbo is a fair risk. I'm happy with how they did that, and Woolf doesn't seem to let his players underperform which will see cobbo either make the team early or be out altogether I reckon.

As for kaufusi I'm a little worried he is getting the Radley and the jwh haze around him when it comes to refs where they are watching him like a hawk for anything to pin him on. It doesn't help the team out and it's not necessarily his fault because he is just an intense old school forward. I've seen donga and stone get caught just for a hard tackle in a hot contest trying to change momentum, which kaufusi likes to take on as well. Sort of moments and tackles that make great origin and finals moments and players, but won't be tolerated in the regular season.

 

[Gary]

I've been meaning to try and look at those teams Woolf had in the super league which did so well and see what the DNA was, but after seeing Knowles in the ashes tests I've got a bit of an idea. I'm here for it.

Also cobbo is a fair risk. I'm happy with how they did that, and Woolf doesn't seem to let his players underperform which will see cobbo either make the team early or be out altogether I reckon.

As for kaufusi I'm a little worried he is getting the Radley and the jwh haze around him when it comes to refs where they are watching him like a hawk for anything to pin him on. It doesn't help the team out and it's not necessarily his fault because he is just an intense old school forward. I've seen donga and stone get caught just for a hard tackle in a hot contest trying to change momentum, which kaufusi likes to take on as well. Sort of moments and tackles that make great origin and finals moments and players, but won't be tolerated in the regular season.

In 2019, Kristian Woolf served as interim head coach for the Newcastle Knights in the National Rugby League (NRL), taking over for the final two games of the season after Nathan Brown's departure.[41] Under his guidance, the Knights secured one victory—a 38-4 win over the Gold Coast Titans—and one loss, achieving a 50% win rate in those matches.[42] This brief stint paved the way for his appointment as head coach of Super League club St Helens in November 2019, succeeding Justin Holbrook on a two-year contract.[43]
Woolf led St Helens from 2020 to 2022, overseeing a period of dominance in English rugby league. The team won the Super League Grand Final in each of his three seasons: 2020 (8-4 over Wigan Warriors), 2021 (12-10 over Catalans Dragons, though the score reflected a tight contest), and 2022 (24-12 over Leeds Rhinos).[44][45][46][47] Additionally, St Helens claimed the 2021 Challenge Cup with a 26-12 victory against Castleford Tigers, marking the club's first title in that competition since 2008, and secured the League Leaders' Shield in 2020 and 2021.[48] His overall record at the club was 61 wins from 80 games, yielding a 76% success rate.
Woolf's coaching emphasized a robust defensive structure combined with attacking freedom, fostering a "all for one and one for all" team ethos that enhanced collective performance.[48] Post-COVID-19 disruptions, including a 14-week league suspension in 2020, he rebuilt the squad by integrating experienced recruits such as Agnatius Paasi and Sione Mata’utia, while adapting to rule changes like the elimination of scrums and increased "six again" restarts, which instilled a harder physical edge.[48] This approach allowed players greater autonomy in attack, contributing to St Helens' evolution into one of the competition's most formidable sides despite injury challenges.[11]
This will explain a fair bit of Woolf and the physical side of the game

 

[mr_c]

In 2019, Kristian Woolf served as interim head coach for the Newcastle Knights in the National Rugby League (NRL), taking over for the final two games of the season after Nathan Brown's departure.[41] Under his guidance, the Knights secured one victory—a 38-4 win over the Gold Coast Titans—and one loss, achieving a 50% win rate in those matches.[42] This brief stint paved the way for his appointment as head coach of Super League club St Helens in November 2019, succeeding Justin Holbrook on a two-year contract.[43]
Woolf led St Helens from 2020 to 2022, overseeing a period of dominance in English rugby league. The team won the Super League Grand Final in each of his three seasons: 2020 (8-4 over Wigan Warriors), 2021 (12-10 over Catalans Dragons, though the score reflected a tight contest), and 2022 (24-12 over Leeds Rhinos).[44][45][46][47] Additionally, St Helens claimed the 2021 Challenge Cup with a 26-12 victory against Castleford Tigers, marking the club's first title in that competition since 2008, and secured the League Leaders' Shield in 2020 and 2021.[48] His overall record at the club was 61 wins from 80 games, yielding a 76% success rate.
Woolf's coaching emphasized a robust defensive structure combined with attacking freedom, fostering a "all for one and one for all" team ethos that enhanced collective performance.[48] Post-COVID-19 disruptions, including a 14-week league suspension in 2020, he rebuilt the squad by integrating experienced recruits such as Agnatius Paasi and Sione Mata’utia, while adapting to rule changes like the elimination of scrums and increased "six again" restarts, which instilled a harder physical edge.[48] This approach allowed players greater autonomy in attack, contributing to St Helens' evolution into one of the competition's most formidable sides despite injury challenges.[11]
This will explain a fair bit of Woolf and the physical side of the game

had some pretty soild qld cup teams too one thing you notice to our big boys aint scared to run with the ball too

 

[Gary]

had some pretty soild qld cup teams too one thing you notice to our big boys aint scared to run with the ball too

I didn’t know he coached Northern pride they were a good team back then , it’s not a bad article on his coaching career and stats, I just copied the part about ST Helen’s for Jonathon

 

[Liverbird with Phins up]

Woolf's coaching emphasized a robust defensive structure combined with attacking freedom, fostering a "all for one and one for all" team ethos

Very interesting this part.

I think this ethos fits out squad. Focusing on defense, which we saw in that Bulldogs game last year. We know its in the players, this year should be about doing it consistently.

Having a half like Katoa and saying play heads up, play what you see, fits head perfectly. You can see it in his interview with Josh Mansour. Katoa has the intelligence and ability to deliver this for our team.

Confident this turns good this season, or realitively soon.

 

[Equaliser]

Very interesting this part.

I think this ethos fits out squad. Focusing on defense, which we saw in that Bulldogs game last year. We know its in the players, this year should be about doing it consistently.

Having a half like Katoa and saying play heads up, play what you see, fits head perfectly. You can see it in his interview with Josh Mansour. Katoa has the intelligence and ability to deliver this for our team.

Confident this turns good this season, or realitively soon.

Your old team got Koloamatangi. Up there with Haas for the best prop in the game IMO.

 

[midlands hobo]

Sounds like Flegler lives at your local. He's always there.

Or Flegler is hardly there but Liverbird with Phins up lives there and sees him on the rare occasion he comes in?