Two Maroons guns back up for Dolphins in Shark hunt
Joel Gould |
Queensland forwards Max Plath and Thomas Flegler will back up and play for the Dolphins in the sold-out NRL clash with Cronulla.
Coach Kristian Woolf has decided to rest Maroons outside backs Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and Selwyn Cobbo for the match at Dolphin Oval on Saturday afternoon.
NSW winger Jack Bostock will miss the Sharks clash after he failed an HIA in the Blues’ 30-12 win in the Stare of Origin decider at Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday night.
The Dolphins have won three of four club games without their representative players and lost the other match last week 13-12 to Newcastle.
Plath and Flegler both came through captain’s run on Friday well and will be keys for the fifth-placed Dolphins against the Sharks, on the same 24 competition points but in sixth on for and against.
“Those two are going to back up,” Woolf said.
“We haven’t done that yet this series. We have looked after them really well, but having a bit of a long turnaround next week and then a bye gives us a chance to freshen them up afterwards.
“They have both come through healthy and are going to play, and the other three (Origin) guys will get a break.”
Woolf said he has been really happy with how his squad had handled the Origin period and performed.
“While it has been disruptive the last six weeks, and still is this week, I know that at some stage in the season it will really help us,” he said.
“We can enjoy this week. The blokes that have stepped in and held the fort have done a really good job and taken their opportunities.”
The Dolphins are without star half Isaiya Katoa for three more weeks and will miss his influence, but Brad Schneider has stepped into the No.7 jersey and done a solid job.
“‘Izzy’ is a great player and our captain so obviously we miss him, but I am really confident in what Brad can do,” Woolf said.
Bostock should return for the round 20 home clash with North Queensland on July 19 after a stellar season since returning from a ruptured ACL.
“He is a really mature young man, Jack. He enjoyed the win (by NSW) but was in yesterday and looked really fresh,” Woolf said.
“I am really proud of him, in so many ways. He had that knee injury when he was playing really well last year and it hurt him and us.
“He handled it really well, but watching the work ethic he had gave me every confidence he would come into the team and bring those same things.”
AAP