Parker confident in Dolphins' finals hopes despite sluggish start

Charles Goodsir • March 24th, 2025 1:06 pm

SEN’s Corey Parker remains optimistic about the Dolphins despite the expansion club sitting towards the bottom of the NRL ladder.

The Dolphins are 0-3 to start the year after losses to the South Sydney Rabbitohs, Newcastle Knights and Wests Tigers.

The Dolphins conceded 24 unanswered points against the Tigers in Round 3 to leave rookie coach Kristian Woolf without a win. However, Parker believes there is still enough talent on the roster that can still compete for a finals berth.

“The Dolphins last year finished 10th with 11 wins and 13 losses,” Parker said on SENQ.

“At the moment, they are 0-3. The concern is that their forward pack is aging and they are slower than the other forward packs at the top of the tree.

“I’m not prepared to write them off just yet because I think the competition is still a wide open race.

“There is a long way to go (and) there’s a story floating around about the succession of Wayne Bennett to Kristian Woolf.

“Bennett didn’t take the Dolphins to the finals either. Kristian is under all this external pressure.

“They do have a long way to go though.”

The Dolphins play the Brisbane Broncos at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night.

SEN’s Andrew Voss was all praise for the Dolphins’ Round 3 opponents in the Wests Tigers who overcame an early 18-6 deficit to eventually run out 30-18 victors and claim back-to-back wins.

“What adds merit to the performance of the Tigers was the manner of victory,” Voss said on SEN 1170 Breakfast.

“At the 22-minute mark, the Dolp;hins lead 18-6 and from that point on, they don’t concede another point.

“They won the game like a good side. I’m not calling them a good side yet but they won in the manner of a good side.

“They put their opponents to the sword when the match was on the line.”

The Tigers host the Warriors in Campbelltown on Sunday.