It seems the more challenges that get thrown at the Dolphins in their inaugural season the more they fight and that was in evidence again on Good Friday as they stunned the Cowboys in Townsville.
Wayne Bennett's men headed north without inspirational skipper Jesse Bromwich and playmakers Sean O'Sullivan and Anthony Milford, but exploded out of the blocks with an early double to Jamayne Isaako and never looked back.
In Round 7 they come up against South Sydney, the club Bennett led to the 2021 grand final and a side riding high after a Good Friday demolition of the Bulldogs.
Playing his 150th NRL game, superstar fuillback Latrell Mitchell was in devastating form for the Rabbitohs with a hat-trick of tries, two try assists and 191 running metres, and he'll have the Dolphins on red alert every time he touches the ball.
Opposing fullback Isaako has been superb in the opening six rounds, leading the NRL pointscoring table with 72 and sitting equal top of the tryscoring with teammate Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow on eight tries.
The Suncorp Stadium crowd should be in for a feast of attacking football as Isaako and 'Hammer' pit their speed and skill against Mitchell, Cody Walker and Campbell Graham, who also helped himself to a Good Friday hat-trick.
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Team News
Dolphins: No late changes for Wayne Bennett's men, with captain Jesse Bromwich returning and Ray Stone starting at prop. Poasa Faamausili is the 18th man. Jarrod Wallace is out after suffering a Category 1 concussion with JJ Collins coming onto the bench.
Rabbitohs: A switch an hour before kick-off sees Jai Arrow revert to the bench in his return from a hamstring injury, with Hame Sele starting at prop. Mid-week Taane Milne replaced Izaac Tu'itupou Thompson (ankle) on the wing, with Blake Taaffe becoming the new 18th man. Alex Johnston is back from time out with a head knock.
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Stat Attack
- Dolphins coach Wayne Bennett has won his last seven games coaching against the Rabbitohs.
- Rabbitohs five-eighth Cody Walker has scored four tries in his past three games.
- Winger Jamayne Isaako has scored over half of the Dolphins’ points (72 out of 140).
- Rabbitohs winger Alex Johnston has scored 11 tries in his past nine games at Suncorp Stadium.
- Dolphin Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow has the chance to break the record for consecutive tryscoring for a new club.
Stats supplied by David Middleton, League Information Services, author of the .