‘A few honesty sessions’: Tough conversations inspire Dolphins to crucial win in Sydney thanks to late defensive heroics

A couple of blowout losses prompted the Dolphins to hold some honesty sessions, with the players responding in style to produce some matchwinning defensive plays.

A couple of honesty sessions throughout the week proved telling for the Dolphins as they recaptured their defensive resolve from earlier in the season to leave Sydney with two valuable points thanks to some late heroics against the Eels.

After a slow start to the year, the Dolphins conceded just 64 points from rounds 4 to 7, but that number ballooned to 76 in their previous two games as the Raiders and Roosters piled on the tries in the second half.

The Dolphins had every right to fall apart on Thursday night as the penalty count swelled to 8-1 against them, but they held their nerve and defended stoutly to survive a furious late comeback from the hosts.

The Dolphins defended brilliantly to snatch a crucial win in Sydney. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images

“We spoke about it all week and had a few honesty sessions,” five-eighth Kodi Nikorima said.

“We spoke about the last two weeks before this game and that our defence wasn’t where it needed to be.

“We had to talk about it because there was no point beating around the bush. We leaked 76 points in the last two weeks, and we’d actually leaked fewer points in the previous month.

“It was hard, but we needed it. We showed we can turn it around when we want to.

“We want to be a top-eight team, and you see in the finals that the teams there are good defensively. We hadn’t been like that for the past two weeks, so we made it a focus for us tonight against a Parramatta side that loves to shift the footy.”

The Eels made several late breaks and looked certain to tie things up in the final minute when Josh Addo-Carr got into the clear and found Dylan Brown, who tried to turn Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow inside out but lost the ball in contact.

Will Penisini couldn’t get past Herbie Farnworth late in the game. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images

“Not many fullbacks can make that play,” Nikorima said, equally impressed by Herbie Farnworth’s tackle on Will Penisini moments earlier.

“He’s wonderful with the ball, but to see him do that defensively is a credit to himself and it’s him showing that he’s got a care for this team.”

Tabuai-Fidow has done some special things in attack, but his calmness in defence was the difference on Thursday as the Dolphins picked up a rare win in Sydney.

“I just had to keep my feet steady,” he said.

“I know I’ve got the speed if he does want to burn me on the outside, so I just had to have my antennas up and be where he was trying to be.

“It’s probably instinct for me.

“The last two weeks, we’ve come out firing but have let the second half slide. We’re a hard team to beat if we defend well and get our discipline in order.”

Originally published as ‘A few honesty sessions’: Tough conversations inspire Dolphins to crucial win in Sydney thanks to late defensive heroics