Key calls to shape a premiership roster ... and ‘blessing in disguise’ which flew under the radar

It’ll be a full circle moment for the expansion Dolphins this Friday night.

Three years, six months and five days after they shocked the rugby league world in a stunning initiation in front of a packed Suncorp Stadium crowd, the Dolphins will take on the team they embarrassed that Sunday afternoon for a spot in the grand final, again before a sold out Suncorp.

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The Roosters were heavy favourites to spoil the Dolphins’ NRL debut.

A brand new roster which was severely short of star power were expected to be no match for a side littered with rep talent.

Alas, it would be the Dolphins who pulled off a David and Goliath-type miracle that day.

While that would be the highlight of their inaugural season, the club exceeded all expectations in 2023 to finish 13th, given they were the wooden spoon favourites.

Since, they steadily built in 2024 and 2025, only just missing the finals in those two years before improving sharply this year to record a fourth-placed finish on the ladder and a golden chance to clinch a spot in the decider.

Kristian Woolf’s men will be out to become the first team since the ‘05 Tigers to reach a grand final with their first finals berth.

It goes without saying that their roster construction within four seasons has been so impressive, any new clubs entering the competition need to steal the blueprints.

Given how the roster was built, there were never going to be any deep finals runs within the first couple of seasons, but to find themselves in such a position this soon is a remarkable achievement for all involved.

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Inaugural coach Wayne Bennett and the club brass believed setting a strong culture was what was important early doors.

Recruitment guru Peter O’Sullivan, who has had a major hand in helping land several Knights’ stars, helped build the Dolphins’ roster from the ground up.

Signing the likes of veterans Jesse Bromwich, Kenny Bromwich, Felise Kaufusi and Mark Nicholls drove tough standards day in and day out even if they didn’t drive big headlines.

However, O’Sullivan, Bennett and the recruitment staff hit on several additions that weren’t big names at the time.

The signing of teen gun Isaiya Katoa was a masterstroke.

Debuting as an 18-year-old in the club’s inaugural game, Katoa has turned into one of the game’s best halfbacks.

“It was a risk but it was a calculated risk signing Isaiya Katoa because of the detail that they’d spent watching Katoa come through those lower grades at Penrith and through those school rugby union days,” Michael Ennis told foxsports.com.au.

“It was genius recruitment.”

As were the moves to land emerging prop Tom Gilbert and speedster Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow from the Cowboys for the Dolphins’ first season.

Signing hooker Jeremy Marshall-King also proved key.

Marshall-King wasn’t the Dolphins’ first choice when they needed to fill their team ahead of the 2023 season.

It’s no secret the club went hard at Maroons star Harry Grant.

But as Bennett mentioned in the last week, Marshall-King has turned out to be an “unsung hero” of the Dolphins’ charge to the grand final.

“We signed a number of players who were important in the early years but Jeremy is right up there,” Bennett told CODE Sports.

“He is just so clever around the rucks and a brilliant team person... He’s a real key in that team.”

O’Sullivan pointed out that Marshall-King was more of an afterthought originally with the club going chips in on Grant.

When that fell through, the NRL’s 17th franchise turned their attention to the then-Bulldogs rake

“We had a fair crack at Harry (Grant)... But sometimes missing out on a big-name player can be a blessing in disguise because it enabled us to sign Marshall-King,” O’Sullivan revealed.

“He’s been phenomenal for the Dolphins and so important to their early success.”

While the Dolphins’ roster has improved dramatically since their inception with the likes of Herbie Farnworth, Tom Flegler, Selwyn Cobbo and Kulikefu Finefeuiaki all signing on in subsequent seasons, there isn’t as much player turnover as you’d usually expect a team to go through in four years

Below is how the Dolphins lined up against the Roosters in Round 1, 2023.

1. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, 2. Jamayne Isaako, 3. Euan Aitken, 4. Brenko Lee, 5. Tesi Niu, 6. Isaiya Katoa, 7. Sean O’Sullivan, 8. Jesse Bromwich, 9. Jeremy Marshall-King, 10. Jarrod Wallace, 11. Felise Kaufusi, 12. Kenny Bromwich, 13. Tom Gilbert, 15. Mark Nicholls, 16. Ray Stone, 17. Kurt Donoghoe, 18. Connelly Lemuelu.

Nine of those (Tabuai-Fidow, Isaako, Katoa, Marshall-King, Kaufusi, Gilbert, Stone, Donoghoe, Lemuelu) are in the Dolphins’ 19 this weekend while key pieces Max Plath, Kodi Nikorima and Jack Bostock didn’t feature in their inaugural game but were on the roster in 2023.

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While there were no out and out superstars in year one, it wasn’t through lack of trying.

As mentioned, the club were extremely keen on landing Grant but fell short.

They were even closer to signing Storm teammate Cameron Munster, but the playmaker infamously snubbed Bennett to remain in Melbourne, failing to call the supercoach of his intentions before news leaked of his Storm extension.

“It is pretty ordinary stuff mate, it is pretty ordinary stuff,” Bennett said on Triple M at the time back in October 2022.

Star fullback Kalyn Ponga was another superstar who Bennett heavily courted, but ultimately, the Dolphins fell short again.

Ponga admitted he was very close to joining the Dolphins before electing to stay a Knight.

“To be honest it definitely was (an option),” Ponga said.

“I think if you are going to sign for five years you kind of want to know what is going on.”

Interestingly, there were reports that Ponga and his team were left unimpressed with a comment made by Bennett during a secret hotel meeting in 2022.

“Wayne challenged him and said, what sort of footballer do you want to be? Do you think you can be that footballer in Newcastle?” journalist Brent Read said on Triple M.

“I don’t think Kalyn and his father particularly enjoyed that because they love the club and I think they thought Wayne was having a little shot at Newcastle.”

The Dolphins were eventually able to lure several gun free agents to the club but their strike in trying to add a marquee player for year one was dreadful.

Reece Walsh, Jahrome Hughes, Pat Carrigan and Brandon Smith were others who were courted by but turned down the Phins.

HOW BIG IS THE PREMIERSHIP WINDOW?

It’s a tough question to answer.

A glance at their current star-studded roster, and you’d think they’re set up for long-term success, but it’ll depend on how the next few months goes on the recruiting and retention front.

The Dolphins have 13 players contracted until the end of next season, meaning 13 players set to hit free agency on November 1.

They definitely won’t be able to retain all of them.

Some of the names on that list are Farnworth, Tabuai-Fidow and Bostock. All three have signalled a desire to test their worth and all three will garner strong interest from rival clubs.

The club have been able to lock down the likes of Selwyn Cobbo, gun back rower Kulikefu Finefeuiaki and emerging winger Tevita Naufahu in recent weeks but to continue on their premiership charge, they’ll probably need to re-sign two of Farnworth, Bostock or Tabuai-Fidow.

It’ll be a hammer blow otherwise.

For this year and next, the premiership window is wide open. It’s unlikely they’ll have a better roster than they do right now beyond 2028 as the salary cap crunch ultimately does its thing.

Even if they do lose one or two of their superstars, this is a roster that will likely continue to challenge for the top eight as they’ve got their halfback for the next ten years, young talent waiting in the wings and they’ve proven they can recruit well, but right now, it’s important they make hay while the sun shines.