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Opinion
Pumped after the end of Round 1, I decided to watch the first episode of the Dolphins show on Stan. This was despite not knowing much about the team pre-NRL announcement, and not really knowing how they were going to go this year.
The show provided a good introduction to the team’s history and journey into the NRL, and I look forward to watching more episodes in the future. I had expected the show to be boring, but it was surprisingly engaging.
However, as much as I happy as I was to be watching Wayne Bennett, the NRL’s favourite introverted curmudgeon, being forced by his new club to talk to lots of people in front of cameras, it is last week’s Round 1 performance and this week’s Round 2 performance that I’m really excited about.
(Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
There was a lot to like about the Dolphins’ on-field performance in round one against the Roosters. Their defense rattled the Roosters, with Felise Kaufusi serving as a wrecking ball.
Across the park, they defended well enough to keep the lethargic and sluggish Roosters superstars in check. It was abundantly clear why Bennett had bought the Bromwich boys, as they showed up and did exactly what they promised to do over Zoom in the Stan series.
The three ex-Melbourne forwards were looking for a new challenge, and they rose to it, making a combined 92 tackles, and a lot of them you heard and felt through the screen.
In terms of their attack, the Dolphins were given a list of players to sign, with “Milf” at the top. However, the first person on their list for the big show was Isaiya Katoa, and he will remain at the top of the list as long as he keeps playing with the skill and confidence he showed.
Jeremy Marshall-King straightened up their attack and was keeping the Roosters guessing all afternoon.
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow was great at fullback, Jamayne Isaako was brilliant, and even Brenko Lee even had a few moments, which was surprising given the “Weekend at Bernie’s” style of play I had expected from him and his moustache this year.
Despite their easy win, the Dolphins still have room for improvement. Sean O’Sullivan’s kicking options and game management can improve, and most of his fifth tackle options in the second half weren’t well executed. Tesi Nui and Euan Aitken can improve with better service from Sean O’Sullivan, and the backup hooker options from Kurt Donoghue and Ray Stone can work better with more game time and discipline.
The Roosters were considered premiership contenders in the pre-season, but in round one, they looked tired and unprepared for the energetic Dolphins side. The Daniel Tupou and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii tries were moments that could have easily ended up not being tries.
As a rugby league fan, I appreciate the stories the game produces, and Round 1 was one such story for the Dolphins. There is a lot of potential for their story to continue to grow throughout the year. They will face the Raiders in Round 2, the Knights in after that.
Then, they face their future local derby rivals the Brisbane Broncos in Round 4, and the Dragons in Round 5.
The Stan series is a great way to explain their brand story and how they got to where they are now. If they can perform well against the Raiders and the Knights, the game against the Broncos in round four will be a packed affair, with red and gold jumpers filling the stands.
I predict that the Stan show will need a must-see episode set on Caxton Street after that game, and we might even see Wayne Bennett dancing again.
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