After starting their maiden NRL campaign with a bang before fading away, much of the focus in 2024 for the Dolphins will be around how they shape up in the second half of the season.
Not having to leave Queensland until Round 7 gives the Dolphins a platform to make a good start once again while Wayne Bennett's men won't head to Sydney until after their second bye in Round 15.
Teams they play twice
The Dolphins will face three of last year's top four sides – the Broncos, Storm and Warriors – on two occasions, along with home and away fixtures against the Dragons, Wests Tigers and Knights. Queensland rivals the Cowboys and Titans are the two remaining teams the Dolphins see twice in 2024.
Teams they play once
They'll face the Panthers just once when they travel to BlueBet Stadium in Round 20 and avoid a trip to the nation's capital in 2024 thanks to their sole game against the Raiders coming on the Sunshine Coast. The Dolphins also play the Eels, Sea Eagles, Sharks, Rabbitohs, Bulldogs and Roosters only once across the season, the latter of which will be played in Perth in Round 22.
Day-by-day breakdown
- Thursday: 3 games (2 home, 1 away)
- Friday: 4 games (2 home, 2 away)
- Saturday: 8 games (4 home, 4 away)
- Sunday: 9 games (4 home, 5 away)
Turnaround time
- 5 days: 2 games
- 6 days: 4 games
- 7+ days: 17 games
The Dolphins have two five-day turnarounds – both of which involve travel as they return home from Townsville in Round 9 to face the Sea Eagles at Redcliffe in Round 10 before going from Suncorp in Round 21 to Perth to take on the Roosters in Round 22. Their longest turnaround is 13 days between Round 2 and 4 (with the bye in Round 3) – one of five games throughout the year when the Dolphins have a double-digit-day turnaround time between games.
Opening month
- Round 1: v Cowboys (H)
- Round 2: v Dragons (H)
- Round 3: v BYE
- Round 4: v Titans (A)
The Dolphins launch their second season in the NRL with a Queensland derby against the Cowboys at Suncorp Stadium, before taking on the Dragons back in Redcliffe. A bye in Round 3 and an away match against the Titans in Round 4 means the 'Phins don't leave Queensland at all through the opening month and not until a trip to Darwin to take on the Eels in Round 7.
Magic Round
The Dolphins close out the 2024 Magic Round with a clash against Wests Tigers on Sunday night. In their first experience of the event last year the Dolphins had a big win over the Sharks in a game which marked the arrival of cult hero Valynce Te Whare on the NRL scene with a two-try performance.
State of Origin watch
The Dolphins play in all three rounds when Origin players will be unavailable, facing the Raiders, Storm and Rabbitohs. Their byes for the representative period come after Origin I and leading into Origin III. In Round 16 – when selected players will be out ahead of Origin II – they take on a Storm side who traditionally have been heavily impacted by rep selections at that time of the year, as well as the Rabbitohs in Round 19 in the lead-up to Game Three.
Can't miss game
Round 1 v Cowboys, Sunday at Suncorp Stadium (H)
With the Broncos in Las Vegas, the Dolphins will be the first side to run out at Suncorp Stadium in 2024 when they take on Queensland rivals in the Cowboys in a Sunday afternoon game sure to attract a strong crowd. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow starred in his first outing against his former club in 2023, before Todd Payten's men got their revenge later on in the season – setting the stage for another fascinating clash to kick-start 2024.
