Wayne Bennett’s Dolphins have achieved it once more, retaining their place on prime of the NRL ladder regardless of struggling a devastating harm toll within the facet’s 26-16 win over the Wests Tigers on Saturday evening.
The 74-year-old supercoach’s facet claimed a 3rd straight win in a courageous efficiency at Suncorp Stadium.
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However the match could have include an enormous price after big-name stars Felise Kaufusi, Herbie Farnworth and Thomas Flegler all suffered accidents within the conflict.
Kaufusi left the bottom with a hamstring pressure after he put Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow away for a attempt earlier than Flegler ended the sport with ice on his shoulder, whereas Farnworth was in main misery on the sphere.
Bennett stated each Flegler and Farnworth appeared to undergo AC joint accidents.
Caught on digital camera earlier than going into the press convention, Bennett minimize a tragic determine, sitting by himself as he gathered his ideas.
When talking to the media, Bennett was clearly downcast over the mounting harm toll.
Requested in regards to the “unbelievably courageous victory”, Bennett stated: “I’ll agree with that.”
Bennett, who is understood for his no-nonsense strategy to media, didn’t give an excessive amount of away when requested in regards to the accidents both.
“We’re unsure ourselves (in regards to the accidents), we all know what the accidents are, we’re unsure of the severity of them simply but,” he stated.
As for Kaufusi, Bennett did joke that the second rower “has by no means run that quick earlier than”.
Requested about his facet’s efficiency, Bennett stated: “I’m proud of their effort, yeah.”
Bennett added that the injures elevated his concern over “whether or not we have now the replacements that may fill their locations and do the job they’ve been doing”.
As for whether or not any of them could also be again subsequent week, Bennett admitted he believed solely Flegler could line up towards the Broncos.
Within the membership’s first season, the facet lacked celebrity energy and had a extreme lack of depth that left the Dolphins increasingly more uncovered because the season went on.
After setting the season alight within the opening rounds, the Dolphins dropped off late, ending thirteenth on the ladder of their debut season.
Having signed the likes of Farnworth, Flegler and Jake Averillo within the low season, the Dolphins added a bit extra firepower but additionally nonetheless have a big chunk of the core from final season.
Talking after the sport on Fox League, Mal Meninga stated he didn’t anticipate them to be pretty much as good as they’ve been in 2024.
“I believed they purchased rather well however they’ve proven some nice resilience,” Meninga stated.
“Clearly they’re a Wayne Bennett-coached facet, so their error charges are down, they play the straightforward issues within the recreation, notably early within the season.
“Defensively I believed they have been fairly good tonight as nicely.
“Let’s hope that a few of these accidents they obtained tonight are usually not season threatening, hopefully they’re just some weeks or again subsequent week. With their greatest group, they’re going to be very arduous to beat.”
Cooper Cronk stated the problems was with the big-name accidents, notably with subsequent Friday evening’s Battle of Brisbane conflict with the Broncos.
“They want Farnworth, they want Flegler they usually want Kaufusi,” Cronk stated.
“They want their greatest gamers on the sphere all 12 months for them to proceed with this way as a result of final 12 months, we noticed they have been constant for the primary half to three-quarters of the season, however fell away as a result of their greatest gamers obtained injured and have been off the sphere.”
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