First season, 2023

[DolphinLungren]

The guy wrote the book on coaching. Ok we think it was a 'rich' contract but he was looking at the bigger picture not just his game but his interaction with others, cohesive players have synergy which is priceless.

He obviously had a job for Boyd that probably involved more off field value than we like to give credit for.

Wayne has made a few errors in recruitment over his many years, but he has also coached 900 games so it's all relative. Him and Cyril were the best recruiters ever back in the day - and often picked really small guys like Langer, Walters bro's etc. in development.

Was just noting that even Wayne in more recent itmes has followed suit of the majority of recruiters overlooki8ng small players in the development squads.

Everyone wants Bigger, Stronger, Faster but often Smarter is the better attribute.

 

[Phins Phan]

This is a fair reflection on the season. Pretty much in line with how experts optimistically predicted. More pessimistic one's tipped us for the spoon. Disappointing after the first half of the season but still not so bad.

Knights have been on fire recently. Might be hard to beat. I think vs Tigers might be the last win of the year.

---

Power Rankings​

13. The Dolphins​

Analysis: No one expected the Dolphins to come close to finals football and with a win over the Bulldogs in Round 22, they could have been well and truly in the race. But after going down by one point, their chances have almost vanished. Super coach Wayne Bennett’s side have impressed the NRL world in their debut season, but injuries to key players like Tom Gilbert (shoulder) have hurt the Dolphins. Every rugby league fan’s second team will have to wait another year for post-season football, and with star recruits Herbie Farnworth and Tom Flegler arriving they could be a serious contender next season. To close out the year, the Dolphins will be desperate to make every post a winner and finish as high as possible in one of the tightest ladders in recent memory.

Injuries: Brenko Lee (leg, indefinite), Tom Gilbert (shoulder, season)

Run home: Knights (h), Roosters (a), Tigers (a), Cowboys (h), Warriors (h)

Chances of making Top 8: 3.9%

I did a ladder predictor before last week's match and had the Dolphins scraping into the eight with four wins out of the last six matches but the loss to the Bulldogs (and the improving form of both the Knights and Roosters) has ruined that. It would take a miracle (and probably five from five wins) to make the top-8 now but it has still been a great first season. The long-term injuries to SOS and Gilbert (and, to a lesser degree, Nicholls) along with costly suspensions at bad times for Kaufusi, Milford and Wallace proved too much to overcome

 

[Jetty]

I did a ladder predictor before last week's match and had the Dolphins scraping into the eight with four wins out of the last six matches but the loss to the Bulldogs (and the improving form of both the Knights and Roosters) has ruined that. It would take a miracle (and probably five from five wins) to make the top-8 now but it has still been a great first season. The long-term injuries to SOS and Gilbert (and, to a lesser degree, Nicholls) along with costly suspensions at bad times for Kaufusi, Milford and Wallace proved too much to overcome

And JMK was out for about 6 weeks. He came back after 3 weeks, lasted a half and was then out for another3. That was the same time Gilbert went down. Couldn't recover from it. Before those injuries, JMK and Gilbert were 2 of our best pretty much every single game.

 

[Phins Phan]

And JMK was out for about 6 weeks. He came back after 3 weeks, lasted a half and was then out for another3. That was the same time Gilbert went down. Couldn't recover from it. Before those injuries, JMK and Gilbert were 2 of our best pretty much every single game.

Yes, absolutely JMK - my bad

 

[DolphinLungren]

I did a ladder predictor before last week's match and had the Dolphins scraping into the eight with four wins out of the last six matches but the loss to the Bulldogs (and the improving form of both the Knights and Roosters) has ruined that. It would take a miracle (and probably five from five wins) to make the top-8 now but it has still been a great first season. The long-term injuries to SOS and Gilbert (and, to a lesser degree, Nicholls) along with costly suspensions at bad times for Kaufusi, Milford and Wallace proved too much to overcome

Part of me is happy they exceeded expectations but another part is sad they will likely miss the finals as we were right up the top for majority of the year.

 

[Red]

Part of me is happy they exceeded expectations but another part is sad they will likely miss the finals as we were right up the top for majority of the year.

Coming in Origin, thinking other top teams would be losing many more players than us, I thought we were looking at a top 4 finish. Not to be but will be better again next year and I hope right up in premiership contention in 2025.

 

[Phins Phan]

Not even the Broncos, with a team full of Origin and Test stars, played semis in their first year (though, to be fair, they would have if it was a top eight instead of top five back then). Still, it shows that the first season is not an easy one

 

[DolphinLungren]

Been a frustrating last 12 or so games. Wayne hasn't had much to work with, so it's no blight on him, but depth + injuries completely really stuffed us.

That being said, I reckon Niko deserves alot of credit and has been among our best with how he's helped fill in our positional gaps. We've lost a lot of games, and with everything considered its to be expected, but without his attack a lot of these games would have completely blown out. Would be hard for him playing all over the shop, and he's not the most naturally gifted athlete, but I reckon he's done a stellar job.

 

[DolphinLungren]

Now we are out of the finals race, it is probably a good time to take a proper retrospective look on our 1st season as a new team in an old competition.

We've certainly had a lot of new supporters based on the newness of the franchise and our early season success. We are/were every one's 2nd favorite team.

After 30 years supporting the Broncos since being a kid, but having grown up and living now around Redcliffe all my life, I made the conscious decision to support the Dolphins before seasons start.

But now after after our first year has almost come to an end, I reckon this franchise has as much to do with Redcliffe as the Bee Gees, lol.

We have had 5 different home grounds in our first season... Kayo, Suncorp, Sunshine Coast, Gabba and Perth. Club officials made us pay for 4 home games, including 1 in Sunshine Coast ,to be able to see our team at their proper home.

We have a kiwi captain and his brother who take up 1.35 mill of our cap who don't care about the club and just making a money grab. We have had 0 actual Redcliffe current feeder/junior players in in 1st grade except for Josh Kerr.

Above all else, after all this time, we are still THE. - noting to do with Redcliffe.

In hindsight nothing about this club represents why I decided to support it. I'm going back to the Broncos. Sorry all, but I am going to be like every other person whose 2nd favourite team is Dolphins.

 

[midlands hobo]

In hindsight nothing about this club represents why I decided to support it. I'm going back to the Broncos. Sorry all, but I am going to be like every other person whose 2nd favourite team is Dolphins.

What were the reasons you chose to support them? Switching teams after 30 years is hard. Was it purely your belief they would more represent your community and would have an attachment to them?

I won't criticise your decision to go back ( I have an account on the broncos forum) however strip the disappointment out of your thinking and look at what has been achieved.

1. A team built off the open market during a contract dispute when most of Wayne's efforts were hampered by not knowing the salary cap.

2. A competitive season. We are only 3 wins behind a playoff spot. And we've had more than a few bad decisions in very close games.

3. The dolphins name. I think they made a mistake. Linking it to the redcliffe team but not using the name was confusing. If your going for a regional team go for a new brand but keep the business links.

4. Multiple grounds. It's all about the $$$$ new franchise needs support and as a regional side you move to pull people in. The chances are they will eventually base mainly at one place. But you cast a wide net first then narrow down.

5. Players. Going back to point 1. It was open market. There are other redcliffe players in the NRL but we're under contract. I'd love to see Corey horsburgh in a dolphins shirt.( Field of dreams mate, if you build it, they will come)

6. It's a long term project, you gave 30 to the donkeys surely 5 is a reasonable investment in the dolphins remember this year and next is about getting up and running. We signed what was available at that time over the next few years more gets built it's Rome not a sandcastle.

Stick around and I'll let you say I told you so if I'm wrong

 

[DolphinLungren]

What were the reasons you chose to support them? Switching teams after 30 years is hard. Was it purely your belief they would more represent your community and would have an attachment to them?

Purely because I have always supported Redcliffe and lived here. I thought the new NRL franchise was Redcliffe, not let's whore out the club to whoever wants it.

 

[midlands hobo]

Purely because I have always supported Redcliffe and lived here. I thought the new NRL franchise was Redcliffe, not let's whore out the club to whoever wants it.

And it may yet come to pass. It you play the hand you're dealt until you can change your cards

 

[DolphinLungren]

And it may yet come to pass. It you play the hand you're dealt until you can change your cards

Nah, it's a great new NRL club, and you should definitley keep supporting it.

 

[midlands hobo]

Nah, it's a great new NRL club, and you should definitley keep supporting it.

From over here I get to be immune to many things in the day to day. It's nice to be able to get up turn on the telly order my McDonald's breakfast and enjoy a few hours of sunshine. (Do you guys know how shit it's been In July here?)

 

[Jetty]

From over here I get to be immune to many things in the day to day. It's nice to be able to get up turn on the telly order my McDonald's breakfast and enjoy a few hours of sunshine. (Do you guys know how shit it's been In July here?)

Personally I hope you go easy on the McDonalds breakfast. I haven't paid for it in a decade. Ate it no more than 4 times since the n.

 

[Liverbird with Phins up]

Purely because I have always supported Redcliffe and lived here. I thought the new NRL franchise was Redcliffe, not let's whore out the club to whoever wants it.

How is that any different from the broncos who started in Qld alone.

How is it any different from any nrl club. In a small market?

Every sporting club whores itself to whoever will buy a jersey. Yes they label it giving access to the fans. But in reality it’s all a money grab. Hence, why every club wants a piece of the nrl pie.

 

[Dolph]

Apparently Katoa is favourite for Dally M rookie of the year. Good luck to him. All I can say is that it must have been a pretty ordinary year for rookies if that's true.

 

[Liverbird with Phins up]

Katoa did very well for a young half. I am very excited about him.

 

[Nashy]

Good year from Isaako this year.

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[Josh]

Good year from Isaako this year.

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