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Sport Nation
How to tune into Sport NationWhich side from outside the eight can finish top four in 2026?
Nicholas Quinlan • October 11th, 2025 2:21 pm
They have only competed for three seasons, but Matty Johns and the Daily Telegraph’s David Riccio think that the Dolphins can be 2026’s risers.
Since their introduction to the competition in 2023, the Dolphins have improved their ladder position with every subsequent season.
This season, they were on the edge of making the finals with a ninth-place finish, despite dealing with a horror run of injuries that affected the likes of Herbie Farnworth, Jack Bostock, Felise Kaufusi, and Max Plath, who all faced injuries that sidelined them throughout the season.
But despite the injury chaos that followed coach Kristian Woolf in his first season in charge, the Dolphins managed to lead the competition in points scored, showing plenty of signs of what they could be.
With that, Johns offered up the Dolphins as the side that could come from the clouds and potentially be a top four contender in what would be their first finals appearance.
“For me, I think it’s the Dolphins,” Johns said on SEN’s Morning Glory with Matty Johns.
“They’ve got some of the best young players in the game who are going to be a year older.
“If they can get a good run with injuries, my god, they are going to be hard to beat.”
Riccio would agree with Johns, noting that the culture they have already built will go a long way for the side’s success.
“And you talk about what culture you are creating, and this a footy side that is only in its infancy still, of which they were able to finish ninth that had so much injury in their forward pack,” Riccio acknowledged.
“We think about what is success built on, it’s through your middle.
“And they were decimated…and if they can get those players back with Katoa in the halves, Hammer at the back, they are a top four side.
The 1997 Premiership player also pointed out that with those injuries throughout this season, it has helped build experience within their playing list, which they can only benefit from with Johns using the example of Kurt Donoghoe.
“You look at them and the players they're blooded because of all the injuries,” Johns added.
“I mean, Kurt Donoghoe, that bloke, talking to (Isaiya) Katoa, I said, ‘How do you view him? To me, he’s going to be your Isaah Yeo.'
“And he said, that’s exactly how I see it.”
