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Sport Nation
Dolphins have silenced the Bennett curse critics
Charles Goodsir • April 9th, 2025 1:23 pm
Dolphins assistant coach Nathan Fien has admitted that there is a sense of relief at the club following their first win in 2025.
The 36-10 win over the Gold Coast Titans in Round 5 also marked the first NRL win for new coach Krisitan Woolf after a difficult first month in charge.
Now that Dolphins are on the board, Fien said there is a renewed sense of belief amongst the playing group ahead of their clash against the Penrith Panthers.
“It has been a tough start hasn’t it?” Fien said on SENQ Breakfast.
“That win against the Gold Coast last week has sort of got things going. There were things that we were doing well but just weren’t getting the results in the early parts of the season.
“We are really confident where we are at the moment.
“It’s a line in the sand moment this week to see where we sit in the competition when we come up against the Panthers.. We are really excited about it.
“All the boys are looking forward to the challenge individually but also as a team front.”
After four straight losses to start the year, the dreaded Wayne Bennett curse tag grew louder and louder. History suggests that once Bennett moves on from a team, that club fails to fire in the following seasons.
Fien has rubbished rumours that the Bennett curse has had an impact on the playing group or the staff.
“It is what it is,” Fien added. “It hasn’t affected the playing group or the coaching staff.
“Until we got that first win, the noise every time we lost a game just grew louder and louder.
“I was in that situation as a player when Wayne left the St George Illawarra Dragons. He’s such a monument of the game and it’s just a bit of a change (when he leaves).
“Woolf wanted to implement his own structures when he arrived and over the pre-season, the boys really bought in.
“We have the game plan and the blueprint. It’s now just about executing week in and week out.”
The Dolphins host the Panthers at Suncorp Stadium on Thursday night.
