NRL 2023: Wayne Bennett selects Jesse Bromwich as Dolphins’ foundation captain

Wayne Bennett has settled on the Dolphins starting forward pack, including a starting role for one of the NRL’s rising stars.

Dolphins coach Wayne Bennett. Picture: NRL Imagery

Wayne Bennett has appointed Jesse Bromwich as inaugural Dolphins skipper and combined a leadership group stacked with Test, Origin and NRL grand final experience.

Bromwich will lead an experienced forward pack into the Dolphins’ foundation NRL season this year looking to dispel “Dad’s Army” criticism.

South Sydney recruit Mark Nicholls will join former Melbourne Storm stars Felise Kaufusi and Kenny Bromwich in the Dolphins’ senior leadership group.

Nicholls, 33, formed a bond with Bennett over three years at Rabbitohs, featuring in the 2021 NRL grand final loss to Penrith.

The Bromwich brothers and Kaufusi have forged ultra-successful careers which include a combined 60 games of Test experience.

Jesse Bromwich and brother Kenny at Dolphins training. Pic: Dolphins Digital

Coach Bennett would not comment on the Dolphins’ senior leadership group on Wednesday, but it’s understood he has settled on his starting forward pack for the club’s NRL launch.

Nicholls and Jesse Bromwich will start in the front row alongside hooker Jeremy Marshall-King.

Kaufusi and Kenny Bromwich will be the edge backrowers, with Cowboys recruit Tom Gilbert securing the No. 13 role.

"I'm here to lead and set those standards as high as we can". 🤝🏽🐬 pic.twitter.com/QZA2qJnwvk

— The Dolphins (@dolphinsnrl) January 9, 2023

Kaufusi, 30, joins the Dolphins following 173 NRL games for Melbourne along with 14 Queensland Origin appearances and 11 Test matches (seven for Tonga and four for Australia).

The Dolphins’ first ever NRL signing said the senior players wanted to mentor the emerging brigade at a brand new club.

“For sure, it’s not just myself but the other leaders in the team,” Kaufusi said.

“We’ve got that experience on our shoulders.

“It’s exactly why we joined the club and at this stage in our careers, hopefully we can influence the younger boys coming through and they can look up to us to try and lead them in the right direction.

“I’ll be doing my best to try and lead from the front.”

Bennett signed the Storm trio to inject professionalism and standards from one of the NRL’s most successful clubs of the past 20 years.

And that is exactly what Kaufusi is trying to bring to Redcliffe after launching his pre-season campaign last week.

“It’s to try and lead and set those standards as high as we can,” he said.

“Coming from my background, it’s pretty high. As long as I carry that into the team, hopefully I can influence the boys around me.

“If the younger guys see us doing the wrong thing, that’s not a good look. We need to make sure no-one’s taking any shortcuts.

“You can’t take away experience.

“We’ve got to have the balance and we’ve got a guy like Tommy Gilbert there who is young, eager and hungry. We can balance that out with our experience and old legs.

Former Cowboy Tom Gilbert is tipped to win the lock job. Picture: NRL Imagery

“You can’t take away what we’ve been through in our careers. Hopefully we can influence our teammates around us.”

While 295-game statesman Bromwich will be captain, his appointment is yet to be publicly announced as Bennett ramps up pre-season training ahead of next month’s trials.

Bromwich said last week that he hoped to secure the historic captaincy gig.

“It’d be a real honour,” the 34-Test Kiwis great said.

“It’s something I really want to work towards.

“The first goal for myself is to earn everybody’s respect first. I’ll be looking to do that over the pre-season.

“It’d be an honour to be able to (captain) this club and to be part of history would be really nice.”

295-GAME STAR TO BE NAMED DOLPHINS’ INAUGURAL SKIPPER

New Zealand Test star Jesse Bromwich is set to create history by becoming the first NRL captain of the Dolphins.

Bromwich is on the cusp of being appointed skipper of the NRL’s 17th club – the Redcliffe-based Dolphins – ahead of their foundation season this year.

The 295-game Melbourne Storm stalwart reported for his first official training session with the Dolphins on Wednesday.

And it is only a matter of time before coach Wayne Bennett appoints him to the team’s highest leadership honour.

Bromwich, 33, said it would be a proud moment if he is handed the captaincy for the Dolphins’ first NRL season.

“It’d be a real honour,” the 34-Test Kiwis great said.

“It’s something I really want to work towards.

“The first goal for myself is to earn everybody’s respect first. I’ll be looking to do that over the pre-season.

“It’d be an honour to be able to (captain) this club and to be part of history would be really nice.”

Wayne Bennett is set to appoint Jesse Bromwich as captain. Picture: Steve Pohlner

Bromwich hit the training paddock at Kayo Stadium for the first time alongside fellow World Cup representatives Kenny Bromwich, Felise Kaufusi and Anthony Milford.

They were put through testing and fitness drills, with former Broncos playmaker Milford showing he is primed to relaunch his NRL career with some impressive efforts.

Bennett signed Storm stars the Bromwich brothers and Kaufusi to inject Test, Origin and NRL premiership experience into the fledgling expansion franchise.

And the elder Bromwich said he was ready to bring what he had learned in 13 seasons at Melbourne – under the likes of Cameron Smith, Billy Slater and Cooper Cronk – to Queensland’s fourth NRL club.

“I was really lucky that I was at a good club with really good leaders that I respected,” he said.

“I copied whatever they did for a really long time. When they left, I knew it was my time to step up and do a little bit of what they used to do.

Jesse Bromwich leads the charge. Picture: Dolphins Digital

“The club was really good at bringing young potential leaders through. They had programs for that and I was part of that for a long time.

“It wasn’t easy but I knew it was my job to do that so I tried to do it as best as I could.

“I’m a bit later in my career and have been around for a little while. I plan on bringing that here and doing my best to bring these young fellas through.

“We’ve got a pretty good squad. Everyone is really level-headed and working hard, that’s the best sign. They’re humble and willing to work hard.

“I’m coming here to bring experience, leadership and a work ethic.”

Bromwich made his NRL debut for the perennially successful Storm in 2010 and was a regular feature in finals series.

The Dolphins have been rated wooden spoon favourites by bookmakers following a challenging recruitment process, but Bromwich is refusing to take notice of critics.

“I’ve never been one to really read into things like that,” he said.

“Even when things were really good (at Melbourne), we never thought about outside noise.

“The focus is on having the belief that what we’re doing is the right thing. Having a belief in the systems in place, players, coaching staff and club. It was never about what people outside the club thought.

“We just need to work as hard as we can and trust that what we’re going to do is going to win us some games.”

T

Watch every game LIVE & ad-break free during play is on FOX LEAGUE with Kayo Sports. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >