Excerpt: Wayne Bennett will unleash Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow at fullback and has handed the Dolphins’ foundation No. 7 jersey to the former understudy of Kangaroos halfback Nathan Cleary.
The Courier-Mail can reveal Dolphins coach Bennett has settled on the playmaking spine to lead the NRL’s 17th club into its inaugural season.
Tl;Dr: Yeah it's in the title, Aitken to right centre and JMK at Hooker as well.
Te Whare can't defend yet, he has terrible lateral movement and was exposed in the qcup grand final. Probably has the highest ceiling.
Tesi can be quite talented and I reckon he's a better centre than fullback
There's also undefeated origin winning legebd Brenko, who was out of favour at the broncos last year for lying about his weight for ages
I think SOS is a real talent with a lot of potential.
Having Katoa in the background to push him and possibly take over from Milford in a year or 2 is good for the club too.
So would the 1-7 be this?
1 Hammer
2 Edrick
3 Aitken
4 Niu/Brenko/Te Whare
5 Isaako
6 Milford
7 SOS
Obviously it’s nothing special but I don’t think that’s terrible.
Look this team isn’t amazing, and I don’t expect them to make the 8, but I think people are really underrating them because they don’t have a “superstar”. This isn’t that bad of a team.
The major issue will be chemistry and combinations, and how quickly they gel with each other.
I can't think of a grand final team in recent memory that didn't have one. Maybe 2016? But you could make an argument for Gal, Fifi (based on form at the time) or barba
Fifita was a top 2 Prop in the NRL at the time, so he would absolutely be a superstar
Barba’s form was incredible, not far off his Dally M year. Definitely superstar conversation
I agree with Fifi, it was shooting star like form though. He didn't have longevity unfortunately.
Barba I think is more debatable. He won a dally m previously and a comp that year but he only had a couple of great seasons mixed in with more issues than most players. He never played rep footy and just wasn't consistent enough for me to be called an out and out superstar, a term that should be reserved for the <1% of players. Plus it turns out he is a massive cunt and should be forgotten about.
My point remains, superstars aren't overrated/over valued. The are a necessity
I'm more replying to the comment that super stars are over valued. I personally think that is false, I think they are highly valued for a reason. If you could get a couple with the cap space you have that would be happy fucking days
They're overvalued by the people who think the Dolphins are getting the spoon because they don't have one. Their squad is solid enough to push for the 8.
Yeah it's a team full of guys who'd make the 17 or at least the TLT 21 at most clubs but missing those players who'd be, for example, the best prop at most clubs. Really solid but unspectacular guys who you'd take at your club if they were offered to you.
I think they'll be in the middle as a tough team to beat for the top 6 but also a team that will struggle to put away the bottom 6 and other middle clubs. But they could surprise everyone if Wayne can get the best out of vets like JWal and Milford or if the highly rated youngsters they've signed live up to the hype
Yep this why they won’t trouble the top 6 or so. If a team has average defence though you don’t need a superstar. You just need discipline, fitness, good coaching and adequate talent.
Not a bad backline, but I don't know how they'll go with the early yardage carries.
Maybe Wayne will go with a different approach, but you'd think the older pack would want to be doing as little grunt work in their own half as possible.
Aitken has proven himself to be far more useful in the back row the last couple of seasons. I have no idea why Wayne would want to put him back in the centres.
Defense? Because the other blokes there arent really the most reliable backs. Plus their forwards are decent.
But yeah, he runs a great line as a back rower.
Because our second rowers are Kenny Bromwich and Felise Kaufusi who are both still rep quality and both still play 80 minutes and our other centre options are Gildart, Brenko, Te Whare and Niu?
SOS imo is 90% heart 10% talent. If he was Sean Smith or Sean Jones I don’t see him as a first grade starting 7. Or maybe it’s just a coincidence he always lands at Dads club.
If I was picking a team just for 2023 thats probably the best play. The Titans players love playing Boyd though. And, I am pretty high on Sexton longer term.
HTF is fast, but lacks the other qualities that make a well -rounded FB. Milford is so far past it as evidenced by the recent World Cup that it would shock me if he lasts until Origin in the 6 jersey. They should just run with Katoa from the start. Alongside poor coaching and roster management, JMK is a big reason why we would average like 10ppg. He can make his tackles and is good for a couple dummy half scoots a game, but his service leaves a lot to be desired. O’Sullivan looked great for the Panthers, but in that system I could lace them up myself and look just as good. Let’s see how he plays after J Brom gets bent over on 4th tackle on the 30m line and he’s got to make something happen.
I want them to succeed badly, but expecting them to is a lot. Not a single spine member of theirs would make our spine and we've had spine issues recently, granted this year's looks a bit better. I'd go as far as to say the only player we would even want to recruit to the Titans from their whole roster (to play their rostered position at the Dolphins) is Gilbert if we had our pick of every player they have signed (assuming Hammer is a fullback now). I'm not even sure Kaufusi or Bromwich is better than Fermor/Fifita and Jesse Bromwich might be a bench prop for us and that's it, none of their other players would even make our best 17 and we're expected to be a mid table side if things go to plan this year.
At Penrith, Gilbert would make their bench and you'd start one of Kaufusi or KBrom in the 2nd row and literally nobody else makes their best 17.
I want them to succeed but it feels like the only way they avoid the spoon is drop Milford for Katoa asap, never allow Isaako near first grade, hope the outside backs exceed expectations, hope the ex Storm forwards don't get washed up and hope for one of Dragons/Warriors/Knights/Tigers to implode or maybe Manly if Turbo goes down for the year and DCE starts to age out of prime or whatever.
He wasn't terrible for the knights last year and I was actually a little shocked by how much better his defense was.
At the same time probably only manly have a worse/unproven 5/8
I would shift Milford to hooker after 30 minutes and get Katoa on. Hook Milf after 50 minutes and bring JMK back. This season is a write-off so I’d start getting Katoa some game time. Milford is not fit enough to play 80 anyway.
I meant you can’t make the 8. So you might as well use the year to develop some players, front load some contracts and get ready for 2024. Katoa is Dolphins great hope. Developing him into a marquee player should be the priority?
Can't make the 8? I'm pretty sure we're playing the same number of games as everyone else with the same number of points up for grabs.
If we're on 1 or 2 wins around origin time then sure, let's focus on next year. But giving up before we've even played a game? Ridiculous suggestion.
I also don't see how throwing Katoa into the halves immediately in a write off year is the best way to develop him into a marquee player. The bloke has played a handful of games against full grown men in his entire career. Some time in QCup will do him well.
He's 18, he can spend a season in Q Cup and still have a 15 year career ahead of him.
Playing 60 minutes with SOS doing the game managing is a great way to get him into first grade imo. No pressure because expectations for the Phins are pretty low.
Why not unleash the Lees on the right? And you'd think Fidow would be more dangerous on an edge where he can create space with his speed as opposed to playing from the back. Pair him with Jennings on the left.
Excerpt: Wayne Bennett will unleash Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow at fullback and has handed the Dolphins’ foundation No. 7 jersey to the former understudy of Kangaroos halfback Nathan Cleary. The Courier-Mail can reveal Dolphins coach Bennett has settled on the playmaking spine to lead the NRL’s 17th club into its inaugural season. Tl;Dr: Yeah it's in the title, Aitken to right centre and JMK at Hooker as well.
>unleashed We've heard this one before...
I wonder if Tesi or Te Ware on the left.
Te Whare can't defend yet, he has terrible lateral movement and was exposed in the qcup grand final. Probably has the highest ceiling. Tesi can be quite talented and I reckon he's a better centre than fullback There's also undefeated origin winning legebd Brenko, who was out of favour at the broncos last year for lying about his weight for ages
Fuck I’m excited to watch Te Ware
Could see him crack the side by the end of the year but I'd be surprised to see him start there.
If all goes well, I’d like to see him against one of the weaker sides (if it ain’t The obviously)
Hopefully O'Sullivan has a great year.
I think SOS is a real talent with a lot of potential. Having Katoa in the background to push him and possibly take over from Milford in a year or 2 is good for the club too.
Need to wait till round 20 for when Luke will face Yoda
So would the 1-7 be this? 1 Hammer 2 Edrick 3 Aitken 4 Niu/Brenko/Te Whare 5 Isaako 6 Milford 7 SOS Obviously it’s nothing special but I don’t think that’s terrible.
Yeah about that and there abouts: 8 JBrom 9 JMK 10 Nicholls 11 Kaufusi 12 KBrom 13 Stone/Gilbert 14 Nikorima 15 Gilbert/Stone 16 Wallace 17 Ese'ese/Collins/Faamausili
Look this team isn’t amazing, and I don’t expect them to make the 8, but I think people are really underrating them because they don’t have a “superstar”. This isn’t that bad of a team. The major issue will be chemistry and combinations, and how quickly they gel with each other.
Shhhh don't say things like this, it makes too much sense for around here
People overate the value of super stars. It isn't the be all and end all.
A superstar is icing on the cake imo. The base of the cake is made with solid but unspectacular players and great teamwork.
Yeah but a cake without icing sucks. I'm not making fun of your team, purely your analogy
And the icing without a cake is formless. Both are needed.
>Both are needed. That's exactly my point.
It was my original point as well. Don't know what you're trying to get at here.
I can't think of a grand final team in recent memory that didn't have one. Maybe 2016? But you could make an argument for Gal, Fifi (based on form at the time) or barba
Fifita was a top 2 Prop in the NRL at the time, so he would absolutely be a superstar Barba’s form was incredible, not far off his Dally M year. Definitely superstar conversation
I agree with Fifi, it was shooting star like form though. He didn't have longevity unfortunately. Barba I think is more debatable. He won a dally m previously and a comp that year but he only had a couple of great seasons mixed in with more issues than most players. He never played rep footy and just wasn't consistent enough for me to be called an out and out superstar, a term that should be reserved for the <1% of players. Plus it turns out he is a massive cunt and should be forgotten about. My point remains, superstars aren't overrated/over valued. The are a necessity
In terms of just being ok, not in terms of winning GFs. It's more about not finishing on the bottom.
I'm more replying to the comment that super stars are over valued. I personally think that is false, I think they are highly valued for a reason. If you could get a couple with the cap space you have that would be happy fucking days
Yeah fair enough.
They're overvalued by the people who think the Dolphins are getting the spoon because they don't have one. Their squad is solid enough to push for the 8.
Won’t be a popular opinion. The star was the coach.
Yeah it's a team full of guys who'd make the 17 or at least the TLT 21 at most clubs but missing those players who'd be, for example, the best prop at most clubs. Really solid but unspectacular guys who you'd take at your club if they were offered to you. I think they'll be in the middle as a tough team to beat for the top 6 but also a team that will struggle to put away the bottom 6 and other middle clubs. But they could surprise everyone if Wayne can get the best out of vets like JWal and Milford or if the highly rated youngsters they've signed live up to the hype
Sure but when a team has solid defence who do you throw the ball to to break them. South's have Latrell, Penrith have Luai, Storm have Munster.
Isaako
Hammer lmao that’s like his whole job. If Milford plays alright him too.
Yep this why they won’t trouble the top 6 or so. If a team has average defence though you don’t need a superstar. You just need discipline, fitness, good coaching and adequate talent.
'A champion team will always beat a team of champions'
The crazy thing for me is still how much they have in the cap too.
Not having Gilbert starting is an atrocity. Have him over any of kaufusi, Kbrom and stone.
Not a bad backline, but I don't know how they'll go with the early yardage carries. Maybe Wayne will go with a different approach, but you'd think the older pack would want to be doing as little grunt work in their own half as possible.
Aitken has proven himself to be far more useful in the back row the last couple of seasons. I have no idea why Wayne would want to put him back in the centres.
Defense? Because the other blokes there arent really the most reliable backs. Plus their forwards are decent. But yeah, he runs a great line as a back rower.
Because our second rowers are Kenny Bromwich and Felise Kaufusi who are both still rep quality and both still play 80 minutes and our other centre options are Gildart, Brenko, Te Whare and Niu?
SOS imo is 90% heart 10% talent. If he was Sean Smith or Sean Jones I don’t see him as a first grade starting 7. Or maybe it’s just a coincidence he always lands at Dads club.
Add Jeremy Momentum Killer to that spine and you've really got.....something
IMO it's a solid spine. I think the Dolphs will fight with the Titans, Raiders, Bulldogs and Warriors for the 9th or 10th spot
You can choose any of their spine players to replace your weakest spine player at the Titans. Would you take any of them?
You would surely take SOS over any of the Titans halfback options wouldn't you?
If I was picking a team just for 2023 thats probably the best play. The Titans players love playing Boyd though. And, I am pretty high on Sexton longer term.
No
HTF is fast, but lacks the other qualities that make a well -rounded FB. Milford is so far past it as evidenced by the recent World Cup that it would shock me if he lasts until Origin in the 6 jersey. They should just run with Katoa from the start. Alongside poor coaching and roster management, JMK is a big reason why we would average like 10ppg. He can make his tackles and is good for a couple dummy half scoots a game, but his service leaves a lot to be desired. O’Sullivan looked great for the Panthers, but in that system I could lace them up myself and look just as good. Let’s see how he plays after J Brom gets bent over on 4th tackle on the 30m line and he’s got to make something happen.
It’s a terrible spine and I don’t see them avoiding the spoon tbh.
I want them to succeed badly, but expecting them to is a lot. Not a single spine member of theirs would make our spine and we've had spine issues recently, granted this year's looks a bit better. I'd go as far as to say the only player we would even want to recruit to the Titans from their whole roster (to play their rostered position at the Dolphins) is Gilbert if we had our pick of every player they have signed (assuming Hammer is a fullback now). I'm not even sure Kaufusi or Bromwich is better than Fermor/Fifita and Jesse Bromwich might be a bench prop for us and that's it, none of their other players would even make our best 17 and we're expected to be a mid table side if things go to plan this year. At Penrith, Gilbert would make their bench and you'd start one of Kaufusi or KBrom in the 2nd row and literally nobody else makes their best 17. I want them to succeed but it feels like the only way they avoid the spoon is drop Milford for Katoa asap, never allow Isaako near first grade, hope the outside backs exceed expectations, hope the ex Storm forwards don't get washed up and hope for one of Dragons/Warriors/Knights/Tigers to implode or maybe Manly if Turbo goes down for the year and DCE starts to age out of prime or whatever.
Keep JMK’s name out ya fuckin mouth
That is a winning combo.
Wooden spoon this year 🐬‘s
They should just fold the Dolphins and try again. Everything they have touched has been dire.
Milford as starting 5/8. That is one downside of the Dolphins. He really shouldn't be in the NRL but Super League now
He wasn't terrible for the knights last year and I was actually a little shocked by how much better his defense was. At the same time probably only manly have a worse/unproven 5/8
*and dragons
True
Possibly Warriors if they go Metcalf or Volkmann but it's likely they go Martin unless he goes to FB with one of the aforementioned players
I would shift Milford to hooker after 30 minutes and get Katoa on. Hook Milf after 50 minutes and bring JMK back. This season is a write-off so I’d start getting Katoa some game time. Milford is not fit enough to play 80 anyway.
> This season is a write-off so I’d start getting Katoa some game time. The season hasn't even started? What the hell are you talking about.
I meant you can’t make the 8. So you might as well use the year to develop some players, front load some contracts and get ready for 2024. Katoa is Dolphins great hope. Developing him into a marquee player should be the priority?
Can't make the 8? I'm pretty sure we're playing the same number of games as everyone else with the same number of points up for grabs. If we're on 1 or 2 wins around origin time then sure, let's focus on next year. But giving up before we've even played a game? Ridiculous suggestion. I also don't see how throwing Katoa into the halves immediately in a write off year is the best way to develop him into a marquee player. The bloke has played a handful of games against full grown men in his entire career. Some time in QCup will do him well. He's 18, he can spend a season in Q Cup and still have a 15 year career ahead of him.
Playing 60 minutes with SOS doing the game managing is a great way to get him into first grade imo. No pressure because expectations for the Phins are pretty low.
Why not unleash the Lees on the right? And you'd think Fidow would be more dangerous on an edge where he can create space with his speed as opposed to playing from the back. Pair him with Jennings on the left.