Hammer time as Dolphins soar back into NRL top eight
Murray Wenzel |
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow has delivered a fullback masterclass with a four-try haul in the Dolphins’ 50-28 defeat of South Sydney.
The No.1 ran amok in his 100th NRL game as the Dolphins reached 50 points for the third time in four games and consigned the Rabbitohs to a fifth straight loss.
Halfback Isaiya Katoa had four try assists, while Tabuai-Fidow’s display was timely on the day incumbent Queensland fullback Kalyn Ponga was ruled out of next Wednesday’s State of Origin decider with a foot injury.
Tabuai-Fidow played wing in the Maroons’ series-levelling victory but, after 11 tries in nine Origin games on the flanks, has done all he can to show coach Billy Slater he’s ready to wear the No.1.
“I know he’d do a great job,” Dolphins coach Kristian Woolf said of his man potentially wearing the Queensland No.1.
“But that wouldn”t have been his motivation tonight; he’s just such a genuine guy I think he wasn’t really happy with himself last week (in a loss to Newcastle).
“I could tell he wanted to make amends for that. Playing 100 games, coming off a loss, playing in front of his family – that’s what he’d be concerned about.”
Victory pushed the Dolphins (8-8) into the top eight but came at a cost, with Kodi Nikorima limping off with an apparent hamstring injury.
Cody Walker (hamstring) also failed to finish in his injury comeback, the playmaker’s latest soft tissue complaint adding salt to the Rabbitohs’ wounds.
The Rabbitohs started brilliantly when Latrell Mitchell sliced through and somehow offloaded for Jack Wighton’s try.
It was all the Dolphins after that, Jeremy Marshall-King raiding from dummy-half to score, then Katoa exploding through the line and producing a no-look assist for Tabuai-Fidow.
The pair combined again in similar fashion, with only a desperate Jamie Humphries tripping up the Dolphins fullback as he pinned his ears back for the line.
Herbie Farnworth had more joy, though, finding open space before Katoa floated a pass perfectly for Nikorima to score.
Katoa tantalised again with a pinpoint pass that dragged the Rabbitohs’ defensive line out of shape, Farnworth’s quick offload setting up Jake Averillo.
Nikorima limped off but the Dolphins weren’t done, Averillo trickling a kick back in-field that was scooped up by Tabuai-Fidow to create a 30-6 halftime lead.
The No.1 completed his hat-trick when he picked up another loose ball spilled in a marking contest to seemingly kill the contest with 30 minutes still on the clock.
But Walker stepped through to create a try for Tallis Duncan and stop the rot, and the visitors had their tails up when that pair combined again to give the back-rower a double before Walker felt for his leg.
Tabuai-Fidow settled it once and for all, stripping Davvy Moale on his own 30-metre line, darting sideways into space, then cruising uninterrupted for a fourth try.
Wighton and Moale still had time for four-pointers, while rookie Aublix Tawha was reported and earnt the ire of Mitchell after tackling him before he’d caught a high ball.
The Dolphins had the final say, Kurt Donoghoe snatching a Humphries intercept as the Dolphins raised the bat again.
“We just lost control of it, totally,” Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett said.
“This season, the challenges have been on our doorstep everyday.
“I’m not frustrated by it, not angry by it.
“Just accept the reality of it and right now trying to build a team that believes in itself and we’re not there yet.”
AAP
