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Wayne Bennett is not surprised his Dolphins have gone backwards since their outstanding opening month in the NRL.
The competition’s newest club won their opening three games to sit second on the NRL ladder before a narrow loss to Brisbane in round four.
But they have gone on to taste defeat in eight of their last 10 to slip to 14th ahead of Saturday night’s away clash with the Sydney Roosters.
Coach Bennett was at the helm of Brisbane in 1988 when they had a team full of State of Origin stars but were not attuned to the grind of the NSW Rugby League (NSWRL) competition of its day.
That Broncos side won five in a row at the start of the 1988 campaign but faded as the season progressed. It has been a similar story for the Dolphins of 2023. “I don’t think we have grown,” Bennett said.
Connelly Lemuelu. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
“We have gone backwards, to be honest with you, if you look at all our stats in the first month and look at since then.
“That was part of the season. That was part of the hype and everything that has happened to us … but I don’t think we have improved throughout the season.”
The statistics back Bennett up.
In the opening four rounds, the Dolphins were averaging 24 points per game and conceding just 17.5.
The figures show their attack is still holding up, averaging 21.9 points each match, but they are conceding 26.6 per game.
“I expected it to happen. I didn’t think we’d be able to hold that standard we set in the first month for the six months,” Bennett said.
“With the lack of experience we have in certain positions it hasn’t surprised me. You hope it doesn’t happen but it has.
“The NRL is a grind. I know myself. I am getting to that stage of the season where you are getting a bit tired.
“Players are no different. I have done it so many times and lived it so many times that I know how to handle it.
“A lot of these guys haven’t (previously) played the number of first-grade games they have this year.”
Rookies Valynce Te Whare and Isaiya Katoa, and second-rower Connelly Lemuelu are among a group of players who have not experienced week-in, week-out NRL.
“Look at Katoa, he probably had his best game last week,” Bennett said.
“He virtually had a month off. He was on the bench and we had a couple of byes. He just needed a break and to freshen up. He did that but you can’t do that in a season for everybody.”
Bennett said he was still proud of the grit and fight of his side.
“If you are a rugby league fan and you want to watch the Dolphins they keep you there for 80 minutes. They don’t give up,” he said.
“They keep coming. They keep giving themselves chances to win games. We will keep doing that.”
One of the most respected voices in Queensland rugby league thinks that Brisbane superstar Payne Haas is waiting on the Wallabies to make him a contract offer.
Haas is set to hit the open market for NRL offers on November 1, with multiple clubs set to battle for his signature and an extension already in the works from the Broncos.
Maroons legend Brent Tate, however, backed Haas to swap codes and move to the Wallabies.
Speaking to Fox League, Tate said: “At some stage the Broncos have got to say ‘this is all we can afford to give you, we think it’s handsome, we think we’re rewarding you’.
“He’s either got to be happy to take it or not, but mate, I think he’s waiting out for rugby.
“There’s no NRL club that’s going to pay him $1.5 million, so for him to go to Sydney for $1.2m or $1.3m is a complete waste of time, you’d lose that in moving.
“I reckon there’s a rugby deal coming.”
Benji Marshall has backed his former Kiwis halves partner Shaun Johnson to take out the 2023 Dally M Medal after his late career renaissance with the Warriors.
The Tigers assistant and Kiwis legend has been so impressed with Johnson that he tried to sign him for his current clubs. Johnson has subsequently extended with the Warriors.
“It’s no secret we tried to lure Shaun Johnson over the ditch,” said Marshall. “The way he is playing inside that team, I’ll be very surprised if he doesn’t win the Dally M.
“Shaun has always been one of my favourite players to watch and when he gets criticised, at times I find it hard to hear, because it’s unfair a lot of the time.
“If you watch his game closely this year he is putting his body on the line defensively – I think he’s got 92 percent tackle efficiency – for a half that is phenomenal.
“He is definitely their go-to guy and that’s why we tried to sign him.
“The way he is going, and given the Warriors results, he will be a big chance [to win the Dally M Medal]. He would be the second Warrior ever to do it, it’d be awesome.”
(Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images)
Aidan Sezer is on the brink of returning to the NRL after reportedly signing with the Wests Tigers for 2024.
Reports in the UK, where he is currently playing for Leeds Rhinos, are that he will link up with Jayden Sullivan in a new-look halves pairing with the Tigers following the departure of Luke Brooks to Manly.
Sezer is 32 and hasn’t played in the NRL since leaving Canberra in 2019.
His replacement at Leeds might well be another NRL name, Knights back-up half Adam Clune. Clune was wanted by Hull FC – ironically to replace his former halves parter, Jake Clifford, who has returned to Australia with the Cowboys – but Leeds are in pole position to land the halfback.
Manly forward Dean Matterson was the only player charged from Thursday night’s loss to Penrith over a high shot on Liam Martin early in the second half.
He is facing a fine of $1000-$1500 depending on whether he submits an early guilty plea.
with AAP