NRL 2023: Dolphins win 28-18 over Sydney Roosters in historic debut, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow scores first try for club
Forget the wooden spoon, Wayne Bennett’s Dolphins looked more like a finals bound team in their NRL debut, with Felise Kaufusi inspiring them with some monstrous tackles.
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Wayne Bennett produced another coaching miracle, inspiring the Dolphins to a 28-18 upset win against NRL premiership favourites the Roosters in their club debut.
The Dolphins became the NRL’s first new club since the Gold Coast Titans in 2007 with a “Phincredible” boilover victory at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Written off as wooden spoon favourites and rank outsiders against the Roosters, the Dolphins played like premiership heavyweights to kick off their NRL existence in emphatic fashion.
In more than 40 years of professional coaching, this was one of Bennett’s finest achievements after he sat out last season to build the Dolphins.
After 35 years, the Broncos have a genuine Brisbane rival.
The Dolphins are here and Queensland’s fourth NRL club has made a statement.
Bennett compared the Dolphins’ boilover debut victory to the launch of the Broncos 35 years ago.
“Of course it compares,” Bennett said.
“The Broncos were game one, Dolphins were game one. We played Manly that day and no-one gave us a chance then. No one gave us a chance much today.
“It’s terribly significant. One of the most difficult things is to get that first win. It settles everything down.
“A loss here today would have put us under a hell of a lot more pressure. A loss 35 years ago would have done that same to the Broncos.
“It was important and the way we played was important. The Broncos showed a great spirit that day.”
BRILLIANT BENNY
On March 6, 1988, Bennett sat in the coaches’ box at the old Lang Park as the Brisbane Broncos stunned reigning premiers Manly 44-10 in their first match.
A remarkable 35 years and seven premierships later, he has overseen another shock club debut, this time with the Dolphins flogging title fancies the Roosters.
The Dolphins ambush had shades of Queensland’s famous 2020 Origin series decider victory – where Bennett’s Maroons shocked the fancied Blues.
This win was built on effort, attitude and determination – the ingredients Bennett vowed to instil in a Dolphins team that was tipped to finish last.
If they can keep this up, the NRL’s newcomers will be challenging for premierships before spoons.
At 73, maybe Bennett has an eighth title in him before he gives it away.
DELIGHTFUL DOLPHINS
There was a sea of red at Suncorp Stadium as 32,177 braved a sweltering Brisbane day to witness history and the Dolphins gave them plenty to cheer about.
Hooker Jeremy Marshall-King was sensational at dummy-half, setting up fullback Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow for the Dolphins’ historic first try.
Halfback Sean O’Sullivan was scheming and debutant five-eighth Isaiya Katoa never went into his shell despite making some rookie mistakes.
Winger Jamayne Isaako looked reborn as he bagged a double, while Mark Nicholls and Connelly Lemuelu were unlikely scorers.
FRIGHTENING FELISE
Bennett knew what he was doing recruiting Queensland Origin hit-man Felise Kaufusi from Melbourne along with his Storm teammates Jesse and Kenny Bromwich.
Kaufusi made his presence known with back-to-back bone-rattling tackles on Brandon Smith and Egan Butcher which led to Nicholls scoring.
They were the type of plays which set the standard for the Dolphins and he was a deserved winner of the Artie Legacy Medal in honour of Queensland legend Arthur Beetson.
While they may not have the most skilful players in the NRL, they possess some of the most feared and that counts for a lot.
“I can’t remember a defensive performance like this,” Fox League commentator Greg Alexander said.
Bennett said the Dolphins had built their foundations on an experienced forward pack.
“That’s why we bought Kenny and his brother and Kaufusi for. We knew what they bought and we all saw that there today,” he said. “They arrived here with a lot of confidence and built on that.”
“That’s what we’ll build the foundations on. We can’t build the foundations on young men that don’t have a lot of football behind them. It doesn’t work that way.
“They are our foundations and they proved that today.
“I got a pretty good sense this week. We nailed some training sessions we had to nail and each one got better.
RUSTY ROOSTERS
The Roosters are among the favourites for this year’s premiership but this was far from a convincing performance.
They are down on troops with Test trio Joey Manu, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Angus Crichton not playing, but were beyond disappointing.
The Roosters’ 66 per cent completion rate and 15 errors was terrible and they made some shocking defensive decisions.
It’s only early days but the Roosters will want to improve dramatically to challenge for this year’s premiership.
REVEALED: HOW DOLPHINS SIGNED TEEN PRODIGY OVER ZOOM
—Peter Badel
He was the 17-year-old whiz-kid who agreed to an NRL contract with the Dolphins over Zoom.
Now Isaiya Katoa will be pitchforked into the biggest game of his life when the playmaking young gun makes his NRL debut at 19 years and 15 days in the Dolphins’ historic clash against the Roosters on Sunday.
In one of the boldest selection calls of his career, Dolphins super coach Wayne Bennett has axed 206-game NRL veteran Anthony Milford in favour of Katoa, who just six months ago was playing in Penrith’s Jersey Flegg side.
The classy Katoa faces a daunting baptism of fire against Roosters halves Luke Keary and Sam Walker, but Bennett is backing the Tongan Test ace to hold his own in the Suncorp Stadium furnace.
“I don’t look at their birth certificates when I pick them,” Bennett told News Corp with a wry grin when asked if teenager Katoa is ready for an NRL debut.
“Katoa is a good player, there is no doubt about that.
“I have recognised that in the trials that he has played, he has played well and done some good things. He is a very good player.
“We haven’t seen enough of Isaiya so I won’t get too excited by it, but I know he is up to it.
“Training is not the place where you gain your reputation, he is on the start of his journey and we will know more in a month’s time.
“There is a fair bit of maturity with him and the rest we will have to all watch and see, but Isaiya gets his opportunity ... and he has earned his opportunity.”
Katoa is rated one of the finest playmakers to emerge from Penrith’s monstrous junior nursery.
Born in Wellington in New Zealand, he underlined his cool head in last year’s Jersey Flegg grand final against Newcastle.
With Penrith trailing 18-16, Katoa landed a last-minute conversion to send the game to extra-time, then snapped the 84th-minute field goal to break the Knights’ hearts in his final game as a Panther.
Stuck behind champion halves Nathan Cleary and Jarome Luai at Penrith, Katoa opted to embark a fresh chapter with new expansion franchise the Dolphins in his quest for NRL stardom.
Dolphins recruitment chief Peter O’Sullivan pulled off the poaching raid.
During Australia’s Covid lockdown in 2021, O’Sullivan was unable to personally meet Katoa, so he signed him over Zoom. O’Sullivan famously signed Queensland Origin legend Greg Inglis as a 15-year-old and says Katoa is a special talent.
“We signed him over Zoom not long after we got the NRL licence,” O’Sullivan said.
“I hadn’t seen a lot of Isaiya live, so it was a bit of a gamble, but it was an educated punt I guess.
“I remember going to his first SG Ball game (for the Panthers in February, 2022).
“I had spent a good chunk of change on Isaiya, so I went to that game with a bit of a knot in my stomach.
“But after 15 minutes of the game, I was like, ‘Thank god, we’ve got it right’.”
Eight months later, Katoa became a senior Test player.
The halfback or pivot played three games for Tonga at last year’s World Cup and while his NRL debut has come earlier than expected, O’Sullivan is adamant Katoa will not choke against the Chooks.
“He is just an impressive kid. He is classy, very mature,” O’Sullivan said.
“He oozes class from his footy to his personality and his family. He is a great all-round package.
“All the great players just seem to have more time to do things than others and that’s the case with Isaiya. A big factor for us was having Wayne Bennett. A lot of parents respect Wayne’s aura and record in the game and Isaiya wanted to be coached by him.
“He is like a Jim Dymock or Jason Smith (former Origin and Test stars). He just has time with the ball in his hands. He has great touches.
“Greg Inglis was just an incredible athlete, but Isaiya is a different type of talent. He has great skill and plays with tempo and vision.
“The one thing I know is he won’t be fazed (by an NRL debut).
“He has a great head on his shoulders for his age.
“It’s a long year and I dare say he won’t play the full season being so young, but he competes like all the great halves do and he’s ready for this occasion, I have no doubt.”
REDCLIFFE REDEMPTION: HOW BENNETT SAVED LODGE’S NRL CAREER
It is the Redcliffe redemption story that has put Matt Lodge on a collision course with Wayne Bennett’s Dolphins.
Former Broncos enforcer Lodge has detailed the lifeline from supercoach Bennett that saved his NRL career and will see the pair face off as rivals in Sunday’s historic Roosters-Dolphins clash at Suncorp Stadium.
Now at the Roosters, Lodge will be out to gatecrash the party of Bennett’s new expansion team the Dolphins, who will make their premiership debut as Queensland’s fourth NRL team.
Lodge has been impressive since his shock late-season arrival at the Roosters last year, but if not for the faith of Bennett, the controversial front-rower’s NRL career may have gone up in flames years ago.
Lodge made international headlines when he was arrested by New York police in October 2015. He spent two weeks in Rikers Island prison, and was fortunate to be released by the American government after a legal battle to return to Australia.
Then just 20, Lodge was on the scrap heap when he was summoned to a Sydney hotel for a secret meeting with Bennett, who was coaching Brisbane at the time and in the Harbour City for a Broncos away game.
It was the meeting that led to a Broncos contract and, 100 NRL games later, Lodge has found his way to the Roosters, forever indebted to Bennett, even if he hopes to ruin the Dolphins’ debut at Suncorp.
Ironically, Lodge began his road to redemption with the Redcliffe in the Queensland Cup as Bennett groomed him for his Broncos baptism.
Now he can sink Bennett’s Dolphins.
“I’ve told Wayne I’ll always be grateful,” said Lodge, who made his Broncos debut in 2018.
“I don’t think he knew the storm he was getting into by signing me but he looked after me through it.
“I met him in Sydney when I was out banned and we had a long chat.
“He promised if I worked hard, no matter how long it took, he would give me a shot.
“He really believed in me. I had almost three years off (from rugby league) and he rang me without even doing a pre-season session and said, ‘You’ll be starting round one (at the Broncos), be ready’.
“He kept his word. I made my comeback game for the Broncos in the NRL and it was very special to me.
“Essentially he’s changed the course of my whole family’s life.
“By giving me a chance to make up for my mistakes and have a second chance in life ... he’s a good man.”
Lodge is equally indebted to the Dolphins for rolling the dice.
“I loved my time at Redcliffe,” he said.
“I promised I would stay out of trouble and guys like Tony Murphy, Bob Jones and Grant Cleal (Dolphins management) backed me like family and did whatever they could to get me back to the NRL.”
Lodge plays his 10th game for the Roosters on Sunday and is relishing life at the Bondi powerhouse. Still only 27, the 118kg bookend is desperate to finish his career with an NRL premiership ring and Trent Robinson’s Roosters will give him every chance to climb the title summit.
“Moving back to Sydney in general has been good for me and the family,” he said.
“I’m pretty settled and content outside footy and the Roosters have been great.
“I’m enjoying myself. I believe in the style of footy ‘Robbo’ likes. and everything is very simple for me here.
“It’s a great environment with professionalism and I’m enjoying putting 100 per cent of my focus on my own game and how I can help the team.
“I feel like they have helped me simplify and value the simple things and improve my game.
“Jason Ryles (Roosters assistant coach) has been great for me and is fixing me up.
“We have a great bunch of boys here and I’m looking forward to the new season.”
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