‘That loss does not define us’: Dolphins target bounce
Joel Gould |
The Dolphins take on Brisbane fresh from the biggest defeat in their history but coach Kristian Woolf took fast action to ensure it will not upset their finals push.
Dolphins prop Josh Kerr said Woolf held a review the morning after Saturday night’s 64-12 loss to the Sydney Roosters.
He said the players had “flushed” the performance out of their system and would get back to the top-shelf football that took them into eighth position on the NRL ladder to start with.
South Sydney were whipped 60-14 by Brisbane in round 22 and coach Wayne Bennett, formerly the Dolphins’ mentor, did not undertake a review of the match.
Bennett said “everyone around you can be doom and gloom but … it won’t help you play better”.
The Rabbitohs came out the following week and beat Gold Coast 20-18.
Woolf took a slightly different approach but the message was reminiscent of Bennett’s.
“We did something similar,” Kerr told AAP.
“The next day we had our recovery and review but we only watched three clips of things we never want to see again in our game.
“Woolfy just said that loss to the Roosters does not define us. We can roll over and die or we can keep fighting. I know we will keep fighting.
“It is obviously one of those games you can flush. The Roosters were the better team.
“Everyone knows when you’ve had a bad game. We all didn’t play our best.”
The ‘Battle of Brisbane’ on Saturday night at Suncorp Stadium should bring the best out of the Dolphins, who have received a further blow to their depleted squad.
Prop Francis Molo received a one-week suspension for a high tackle in the loss to the Roosters and is now the eighth player in the top 17 to be unavailable due to injury or suspension.
Kerr said the Dolphins would regroup and tackle the Broncos with optimism.
“The boys are just looking forward to training during the week and getting back into it to correct a few things. I am confident the boys will bounce back up,” Kerr said.
“It is a real test against the Broncos. They are missing key players and we are missing a majority of our squad. The Battle of Brisbane will be hectic. They are usually sold out. The boys will be up for it.”
The Dolphins had their only win in five attempts against the Broncos last year in a 40-6 victory and will aim to draw on the experience. Fullback Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow was in electric form that night in a two-try display.
Brisbane sit sixth on 28 points, while the Dolphins are eighth with 26.
With 30 points likely needed to make their maiden semi-finals campaign, the Dolphins will be aiming for at least two more wins.
After Brisbane they play Manly (away) before home clashes with the Gold Coast and Canberra.
AAP
