Dolphins need finals favour from Bennett after key win
Joel Gould |
The Dolphins now just need their old coach Wayne Bennett to pull a rabbit out of the hat after keeping their NRL finals hopes alive with a pulsating 36-30 win over Gold Coast.
The Dolphins are in ninth spot, two points behind the eighth-placed Sydney Roosters heading into the final round.
Bennett’s South Sydney play arch-rivals Sydney Roosters on Friday night at Accor Stadium. A win for the Rabbitohs will keep the Dolphins in with a shot of finishing eighth if they can beat Canberra in Redcliffe on the final day of the regular season.
The Dolphins will also need a combined for-and-against margin of 16 points or more to go their way.
The Dolphins led 18-0 at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday afternoon, but the two teams went to halftime at 18-18.
The match followed the pattern of the previous two encounters at the same venue. In 2023 the Titans led 26-0 before the Dolphins won 28-26 in the equal biggest comeback in NRL history.
Last year the Dolphins went to a 14-0 lead before the Titans prevailed 21-14 to put a spear in the hosts’ finals hopes.
The home side suffered a blow at the break with star centre Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow staying in the sheds with blurred vision after a poke in the eye.
Versatile Kurt Donaghoe switched to left centre initially and found a silky pass to put winger Tevita Naufahu in.
Pocket-rocket fullback Trai Fuller burst through and co-captain Isaiya Katoa finished for a 30-18 lead.
A long-range try started and finished by Titans star AJ Brimson brought the margin back to six.
Dolphins playmaker Kodi Nikorima scored, Tabuai-Fidow came back on and the hosts held their breath when Titans half Jayden Campbell scored off a bomb.
Kristian Woolf’s men hung on in a cliffhanger that ebbed and flowed.
Fuller powered over early before Nikorima, influential in the first try, sent Naufahu in with a pinpoint pass.
Fuller rocketed through to set up Tabuai-Fidow under the sticks to make it 18-0 inside 13 minutes.
The Dolphins then fell into bad habits and paid the price.
Titans centre Brian Kelly swooped on an a Brimson kick.
Lock Chris Randall threw a pass that went forward to winger Jaylan De Groot for a try to narrow the gap. Veteran Kieran Foran then scored on the cusp of halftime to level.
AAP
