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Dolphins v Dragons: Injuries hit hard; Leilua, Lawrie come in

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The Dragons travel north brimming with confidence after launching the Shane Flanagan era with a comprehensive victory over the Titans in Round 1.

In stark contrast, the Dolphins had their confidence dented by a 43-18 loss to the Cowboys, a game in which they missed 24 tackles and completed at just 77 per cent.

Adding to the Dolphins' woes is the loss of Connelly Lemuelu to a knee injury that is expected to sideline him until Round 6, while Ray Stone will miss Round 2 with concussion. 

The supercoach Wayne Bennett has seen it all then some during the past three decades so there will be no panic in the Dolphins camp, but they will need to get their edge defence right and find better last tackle options if they are to bounce back in front of their home fans at Redcliffe.

For rival mentor Flanagan, the sight of Tyrell Sloan bagging a hat-trick and Zac Lomax playing strongly on the wing was vindication of the tough positional call he made, while centre Moses Suli and skipper Ben Hunt also launched their season in style.

After missing Round 1 with a rib injury, prop Blake Lawrie returns for the Red V, who will be looking to start a season 2-0 for the first time since 2018, when they won their first six on the trot.

When these sides met at Kayo Stadium last year it was the Dolphins who came away victorious 26-12 on the back of some Anthony Milford brilliance and an 18-point haul from Jamayne Isaako.

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Team News

Dolphins: A late change an hour before kick-off with Kurt Donoghoe joining the interchange and Kenny Bromwich dropping back to be the replacement player. Sean O’Sullivan was cut from the squad when it was reduced to 19 players on Saturday night, confirming young gun Isaiya Katoa - named in the No.7 jersey - will take over the halfback duties. Former Bulldog Jake Averillo makes his Dolphins debut, named alongside fellow recruit Herbie Farnworth in the centres. 

Dragons: A late change an hour before kick-off with Raymond Faitala-Mariner starting the game at prop and Blake Lawrie going to the bench in his return from a rib injury. Luciano Leilua has been named on the bench after missing Round 1 due to suspension. Last week’s debutant Viliami Fifita is 18th man. New recruit Hame Sele's first appearance of the season remains on hold after he dropped out of the 19-man squad on Saturday along with Jesse Marschke and Ben Murdoch-Masila. Sele remains sidelined with a hamstring injury.

Team Lists

Backs

  • Fullback for Dolphins is number 1 Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow
    Fullback for Dragons is number 1 Tyrell Sloan
  • Winger for Dolphins is number 2 Jamayne Isaako
    Winger for Dragons is number 2 Zac Lomax
  • Centre for Dolphins is number 3 Jake Averillo
    Centre for Dragons is number 3 Mosese Suli
  • Centre for Dolphins is number 4 Herbie Farnworth
    Centre for Dragons is number 4 Jack Bird
  • Winger for Dolphins is number 5 Jack Bostock
    Winger for Dragons is number 5 Mikaele Ravalawa
  • Five-Eighth for Dolphins is number 6 Kodi Nikorima
    Five-Eighth for Dragons is number 6 Kyle Flanagan
  • Halfback for Dolphins is number 7 Isaiya Katoa
    Halfback for Dragons is number 7 Ben Hunt

Forwards

  • Prop for Dolphins is number 8 Jesse Bromwich
    Prop for Dragons is number 8 Francis Molo
  • Hooker for Dolphins is number 9 Jeremy Marshall-King
    Hooker for Dragons is number 9 Jacob Liddle
  • Prop for Dolphins is number 10 Thomas Flegler
    Prop for Dragons is number 16 Raymond Faitala-Mariner 
  • 2nd Row for Dolphins is number 11 Felise Kaufusi
    2nd Row for Dragons is number 11 Tom Eisenhuth
  • 2nd Row for Dolphins is number 12 Euan Aitken
    2nd Row for Dragons is number 12 Jaydn Su'a
  • Lock for Dolphins is number 13 Max Plath
    Lock for Dragons is number 13 Jack De Belin

Interchange

  • Interchange for Dolphins is number 14 Josh Kerr
    Interchange for Dragons is number 10 Blake Lawrie
  • Interchange for Dolphins is number 16 Mark Nicholls
    Interchange for Dragons is number 14 Connor Muhleisen
  • Interchange for Dolphins is number 17 Jarrod Wallace
    Interchange for Dragons is number 15 Michael Molo
  • Interchange for Dolphins is number 18 Kurt Donoghoe
    Interchange for Dragons is number 17 Luciano Leilua

Reserves

  • Replacement for Dolphins is number 15 Kenneath Bromwich
    Replacement for Dragons is number 18 Viliami Fifita

Match Officials

  • Referee: Grant Atkins
  • Touch Judge: Liam Kennedy
  • Touch Judge: Phil Henderson
  • Senior Review Official: Chris Butler

Last updated:

Stat Attack 

  • The Dolphins won two from three at Kayo Stadium in 2023.
  • St George Illawarra have not opened with consecutive wins since 2018.
  • Dolphins fullback Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow scored three tries in two games at Kayo Stadium in 2023.
  • Dragons fullback Tyrell Sloan has scored seven tries in his past eight NRL games.
  • Dolphins winger Jack Bostock has scored three tries in his past four NRL appearances.

Stats supplied by David Middleton, League Information Services, author of the .

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