First season, 2023

[Jetty]

NRL 2023: Dolphins season preview​

Rarely has a team been written off before playing a game to the extent the Dolphins have in 2023.
The first new team to join the competition since Gold Coast in 2007, few have given the Queensland-based outfit much hope this year. And to be fair to the critics, looking at the squad they’ve managed to assemble, it’s not hard to see why they might have some knockers.

But you know who loves working under those circumstances? Wayne Bennett. Few can galvanise a team like the veteran coach and there is no one better placed to hold the Dolphins' hands as they make their first steps into the big time.


We preview the Dolphins season below - including their best 17, the key to their success and predicted finish for 2023.

1	Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow
2	Edrick Lee
3	Tesi Niu
4	Euan Aitken
5	Jamayne Isaako
6	Anthony Milford
7	Sean O'Sullivan
8	Jesse Bromwich
9	Jeremy Marshall_king
10	Mark Nicholls
11	Kenny Bromwich
12	Felise Kaufusi
13	Ray Stone
14	Kodi Nikorima
15	Tom Gilbert
16	Jarrod Wallace
17	Herman Ese'ese

SQUAD CHANGES​

GAINS:​

Euan Aitken, Jesse Bromwich, Kenneath Bromwich, JJ Collins, Herman Ese'ese, Poasa Faamausili, Trai Fuller, Tom Gilbert, Oliver Gildart, Cody Hunter, Jamayne Isaako, Robert Jennings, Isaiya Katoa, Felise Kaufusi, Brenko Lee, Edrick Lee, Connelly Lemuelu, Jeremy Marshall-King, Anthony Milford, Mark Nicholls, Kodi Nikorima, Tesi Niu, Sean O'Sullivan, Ray Stone, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, Valynce Te Whare, Mason Teague, Setu Tu, Jarrod Wallace

LOSSES:​

Nil

DEPTH RATING:​

It’s no secret that Wayne hasn’t been able to get many of the players he wanted and it’s left the Dolphins’ squad looking pretty thin in parts. Any injuries, particularly in the spine, may force Bennett to get creative. The big unknown is the young players - if they can perform up to standard when called upon, they may just surprise a few teams.

The forward pack is chock full of blokes with Origin and International experience, and while some of them may have played their best footy, they ought to have enough guile to overcome that. Elsewhere, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow will be a handful at fullback and, if they can get on the same page and playing consistently, there’s plenty of attacking threat on the edges.

Once upon a time, Anthony Milford was a very handy footballer. However, questions remain whether we’ll ever see him reach the heights he did at Canberra and in his early days with the Broncos.

Next to him is Sean O’Sullivan. The halfback is now at his fifth NRL club, having played 32 times in first grade across the Roosters, Brisbane, Warriors and Panthers. 2022 was the 24-year-old’s best season at the level, having filled in ably while Nathan Cleary was suspended. Much like his halves partner, doubts still persist about whether O’Sullivan is capable of steering a team around the park over the course of a season.

STRENGTHS: Forward pack experience/X-factor

WEAKNESSES: Halves

RATING: 3/10

If they can keep their best 17 on the park, they should be competitive. If not, they'll need some young players to play out of their skins.

 

[Jetty]

THE KEY​

There is an awful lot of pressure on Sean O'Sullivan to hit the ground running in 2023.

After several seasons as a backup, the halfback has now been given the keys to the car.

If the 24-year-old can guide shoulder most of the load when it comes to managing the team around the park, he may just open the door for Milford to recapture some of his best form.

The forward pack should give the side at least some decent field position, it will then be up to the likes of O'Sullivan to get the ball to the speedsters in the outside backs.

ROOKIE WATCH​

After a stellar showing in the Rugby League World Cup, teenage playmaker Isaiya Katoa will be pushing for a spot in the Dolphins side to start next year. Signed on as one of the expansion club's brightest prospects, Katoa will leave a highly-successful Penrith system and has all the makings of an NRL superstar.

A standout at schoolboy level, Katoa was able to keep Dragons star Talatau Amone out of the Tongan side in the RLWC, which is proof that he is ready to make the jump to first grade. There is no guarantee that Katoa starts the season in the halves, with both Anthony Milford and Sean O'Sullivan also signed to the Dolphins, but his debut is seemingly inevitable in 2023.

 

[Jetty]

DANGER PERIOD​

Rounds 1-5: Roosters [H], Raiders [H], Knights [A], Broncos [H], Dragons [A]

The Dolphins are entering a difficult market and will want to make a statement early to legitimise their introduction into the competition.

First up, they face a tough challenge in the Roosters, and while most will be tipping a loss, if they can give their fans reason to get excited about the season ahead, they’ll be doing alright.

Then comes a run of games in which they’ll be desperate to get a win or two - Raiders, Knights, Broncos and Dragons.

You can bet Bennett will have circled round four against Brisbane at Suncorp in his calendar, hoping to make a statement against his former club and announce the Dolphins to competition.

Alternatively, a 0-5 start won’t have potential new fans rushing out to buy memberships.

PREDICTED FINISH: 16th​

When most people have you as specials for the wooden spoon, is finishing one spot off the bottom really that bad?

Let’s face it, they don’t have the cattle, but they do have Wayne Bennett.

If anyone can get them going, it’s him. That’s may be the problem - it feels like there’s a lot of ifs when it comes to the Dolphins and over the course of an NRL campaign, not everything is going to go your way, so we’ve got the new boys finishing somewhere down the bottom of the ladder.

 

[Jetty]

Most debated position​

Dolphins: Centre​

Wayne Bennett has packed his forward rotation with experienced campaigners who he can essentially leave to manage themselves. Jesse and Kenny Bromwich, Felise Kaufusi and Mark Nicholls will lead from the front and provide the Dolphins with a solid platform in which to work off.

However, things aren’t so simple in the backline with a number of players reuniting with the coach for the club’s inaugural season along with a few promising young guns. Euan Aitken looks likely to revert to the backline after spending the past few years in the second row for the Warriors, while Oliver Gildart and Brenko Lee will also be pressing for starts.

Then, there is the x-factor that Valynce Te Whare offers after starring in the Queensland Cup last year. The rugby convert has garnered plenty of attention due to his barnstorming carries.

 

[Jetty]

Expert predictions for ladder, where every team will finish​

DOLPHINS​

The Dolphins will surprise many and be a competitive team in 2023 that could finish just out of finals contention. While they lack the star power to challenge for the premiership, the Dolphins come into the NRL with a clean slate and Wayne Bennett will have them playing for each other.

2023 odds​

• Premiership: $67
• Minor premiership: $201
• To make grand final: $29
• Top four: $9
• Top eight: $7.50
• Most losses: $2.75

 

[Red]

Dolphins 2023 Outlook​

It feels like a lifetime ago that the Dolphins were announced as the newest franchise entering the NRL. Now they have built their squad, “trained the house down” and are ready to show the rest of the competition what they can do.

But, what actually is that? We know they have older heads like Storm trio Jesse Bromwich, Kenny Bromwich and Felise Kaufusi, Rabbitohs veteran Mark Nicholls and Kiwi Kodi Nikorima. Throw in some young guns like ex-Cowboys Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and Tom Gilbert, Nathan Cleary’s understudy Sean O’Sullivan along with a bit of Marshall magic in the form of Jeremy Marshall-King, and the team sheet is solid.

The path to the trophy​

Wayne Bennett. Love him or loathe him, he is the BIGGEST key to the Dolphins’ success. At 412 years old, he’s been around forever. Coaching 888 club games, 25 Origin matches, and currently holds the peerless record for the seven premierships along with the record for coaching a club for the most number of seasons (Broncos, 24 years.) He seems to have the gist of what to do.

He already has links with so many of his players already – he coached Nicholls at Souths; Nikorima, Herman Ese’ese, Jarrod Wallace, Anthony Milford and Jamayne Isaako at the Broncos; while Kaufusi, Edrick Lee and Brenko Lee were all in the Maroons’ Origin camp with Bennett in 2020.

Player under pressure: Anthony Milford​

So much talent surrounded by even more controversy. Bennett has thrown Milford a lifeline, and he better repay the faith in spades.

The hidden gem: Harrison Graham​

This young gun hooker from the Wynnum Seagulls was one of the first signatures Bennett secured, He has a knack for seeing greatness in players, so I’m looking forward to seeing Graham getting his shot at first grade.

Coach’s safety rating:​

Bennett is only there for the short term before handing the clipboard over to Kristian Woolf, so he has no stress on his plate.

Premiership odds:​

There are no expectations here – Play Up has them at $67. Dead last.

Predicted finish​

Call me crazy, but they can avoid being the cellar dwellers many predict and rise as high as 12th.

Predicted Round 1 team​

1. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow
2. Jamayne Isaako
3. Tesi Niu
4. Oliver Gildart
5. Edrick Lee
6. Anthony Milford
7. Sean O’Sullivan
8. Jesse Bromwich
9. Jeremy Marshall-King
10. Tom Gilbert
11. Felise Kaufusi
12. Kenny Bromwich
13. Ray Stone
    Interchange
14. Kodi Nikorima
15. Euan Aitken
16. Mark Nicholls
17. Jarrod Wallace

Others: Brenko Lee, Herman Ese’ese, Isaiya Katoa, Valynce Te Whare, JJ Collins, Mason Teague, Poasa Faamausili, Robert Jennings, Connelly Lemuelu, Harrison Graham (development), Michael Roberts (development), Jeremiah Simbiken (development), Jack Bostock (development).

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From what I've seen, Brenko Lee might beat Gildart to #4. Hard to argue with the rest. As has been mentioned a few times, #7 is under pressure. I like Gilbert at lock, Stone on the bench and Wallace starting at prop.

 

[Paul]

Hi all! We are building something special. Bellamy might be a better coach but I feel Benny is the perfect coach to set things up for long-term success.

 

[Red]

Hi all! We are building something special. Bellamy might be a better coach but I feel Benny is the perfect coach to set things up for long-term success.

Welcome to the forum! How did you find us? Google?
I feel you are right about Benny. I think missing out on a big name might hurt this year but will serve us well in a few years.

 

[Paul]

Welcome to the forum! How did you find us? Google?
I feel you are right about Benny. I think missing out on a big name might hurt this year but will serve us well in a few years.

Found you on Google. 4 down after some general league forums and the Dolphins homepage.

 

[Jetty]

Hi all! We are building something special. Bellamy might be a better coach but I feel Benny is the perfect coach to set things up for long-term success.

I'm with you! Even though a lot of experts are predicting a bad season this year, I disagree but really looking forward to seeing where we are in 2 or 3 years!

 

[Paul]

I'm with you! Even though a lot of experts are predicting a bad season this year, I disagree but really looking forward to seeing where we are in 2 or 3 years!

Today's game will be a really good indication of where we are at.

 

[midlands hobo]

Today's game will be a really good indication of where we are at.

Not close...

 

[Jetty]

Not close...

Yep. Need a huge improvement on that to have a decent year.

 

[Axel]

Yep. Need a huge improvement on that to have a decent year.

It was only a trial. Lets not go out shopping for wooden spoons just yet.

• Bostock needs another year in the lower grades.
• Milford needs to do much better.
• The Hammer isn't a fullback.
• Can Marshall play 80min? If so, that's what he needs to do every week.

 

[Equaliser]

Good article

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Dolphins want to ‘fly under the radar’. A Milford problem & one obvious issue will make that hard​

The thing about a club launching its inaugural season is that there’s little to no expectations. That’s exactly how star Dolphins recruit Kenny Bromwich likes it.

“I prefer flying under the radar, laying low and getting the work in, then when it’s on, it’s on,” he said.

Bromwich, who signed with the Dolphins after his older brother Jesse did, has walked away from one of the top clubs in the competition to join a team that many are tipping for the wooden spoon.

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too long to post it all. It's free. Follow the link.

Dolphins want to ‘fly under the radar’. A Milford problem and one glaring flaw will make that hard

Dolphins want to ‘fly under the radar’. A Milford problem and one glaring flaw will make that hard

www.foxsports.com.au

 

[Red]

Good article

---

Dolphins want to ‘fly under the radar’. A Milford problem & one obvious issue will make that hard​

The thing about a club launching its inaugural season is that there’s little to no expectations. That’s exactly how star Dolphins recruit Kenny Bromwich likes it.

“I prefer flying under the radar, laying low and getting the work in, then when it’s on, it’s on,” he said.

Bromwich, who signed with the Dolphins after his older brother Jesse did, has walked away from one of the top clubs in the competition to join a team that many are tipping for the wooden spoon.

---

too long to post it all. It's free. Follow the link.

Dolphins want to ‘fly under the radar’. A Milford problem and one glaring flaw will make that hard

Dolphins want to ‘fly under the radar’. A Milford problem and one glaring flaw will make that hard

www.foxsports.com.au

The Milford part of the story was interesting. He was only good for about 3 years. At fullback for Canberra for one year and then the good years at Broncos. When he got his 4 year, 1mil deal he must have lost his hunger or something because he's been crap since. Hope Benny will be able to get another good year or two out of him.

Same as both Bromwiches, Kafusi, Nichols. To have some hard-nosed veterans leading around the pack is good but that's almost the entire pack this year and it'll be even worse next year.

 

[Jetty]

'Torture bars' and midnight drills - how Wayne Bennett steeled his Dolphins​

Wayne Bennett was confronted with a conundrum never seen before in his 40-odd years of rugby league coaching. The challenge: Build a team from scratch to compete in the toughest league on the planet. The first task was to find 30 elite players, which proved difficult in itself.

The second was to bring that group together and turn the Dolphins into an NRL-ready squad in the space of a few short months. Talent is one thing - all the recruits know how to play football - but instilling the grit, endurance, mental fortitude, and mateship needed to win games normally takes time, and hard work. Time's one thing Bennett didn't have, so he took the hard work aspect to the extreme.

In an effort to fast-track some steel into his troops, the coach took them south of Brisbane for an intense three-day camp likened to what soldiers are put through. "That army camp we did at the start of the year was the toughest one I've been to," Euan Aitken, a veteran of 156 NRL games with the Dragons and Warriors, told Stan's Dawn of the Dolphins premiere in Brisbane.

"But it really brought the group together I think. We bonded a lot over that, it brought us really close, we learnt how to work as a team a bit more." Over the course of three days, the players' physical and mental toughness were tested in the most brutal ways.

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too long. See the entire article here:

Dolphins forged by 'torture bars', midnight drills

'You're only as tired as a you think you are'

wwos.nine.com.au

 

[Equaliser]

The entire squad:

Jamayne Isaako	Fullback/Wing
Felise Kaufusi	Second-row
Jesse Bromwich	Prop
Kenny Bromwich	Second-row
Ray Stone	Lock/Hooker
Mark Nicholls	Prop
Isaiya Katoa	Halfback
Valynce Te Whare	Centre
Tom Gilbert	Second-row
Robert Jennings	Winger
Connelly Lemuelu	Second-row/centre
Edrick Lee	Winger
Euan Aitken	Second-row/centre
Jarrod Wallace	Prop
Brenko Lee	Centre
Sean O'Sullivan	Halfback
Jeremy Marshall-King	Hooker
JJ Collins	Prop
Ryan Jackson	Prop
Mason Teague	Lock
Kodi Nikorima	Utility
Anthony Milford	Five-eighth
Oliver Gildart	Centre
Tesi Niu	Centre/Fullback
Herman Ese'ese	Lock/Prop
Poasa Faamausili	Prop

 

[Equaliser]

Development players: Harrison Graham, Michael Roberts, Jack Bostock, Jeremiah Simbiken

Train and trail contracts: Cody Hunter, Setu Tu, Trai Fuller, Bailey Butler, Tyler Szepanowski, Lachlan Hubner, Radean Robinson

 

[Axel]

The entire squad:

Jamayne Isaako	Fullback/Wing
Felise Kaufusi	Second-row
Jesse Bromwich	Prop
Kenny Bromwich	Second-row
Ray Stone	Lock/Hooker
Mark Nicholls	Prop
Isaiya Katoa	Halfback
Valynce Te Whare	Centre
Tom Gilbert	Second-row
Robert Jennings	Winger
Connelly Lemuelu	Second-row/centre
Edrick Lee	Winger
Euan Aitken	Second-row/centre
Jarrod Wallace	Prop
Brenko Lee	Centre
Sean O'Sullivan	Halfback
Jeremy Marshall-King	Hooker
JJ Collins	Prop
Ryan Jackson	Prop
Mason Teague	Lock
Kodi Nikorima	Utility
Anthony Milford	Five-eighth
Oliver Gildart	Centre
Tesi Niu	Centre/Fullback
Herman Ese'ese	Lock/Prop
Poasa Faamausili	Prop

Probably won't see NRL unless there's an injury crisis:

• Faamausili
• Teague
• Collins
• Te Whare