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Friday night lights: Dolphins v Roosters

Who could ever forget the Dolphins' first ever NRL match back in 2023 when they stunned the Roosters 28-18 at Suncorp Stadium to announce themselves in style?

The sides have met four times since that historic day and it has been all the red, white and blue, with the Bondi boys winning all four clashes, including a 64-12 thumping at this ground last year.

With a host of stars away on Origin duty this is the chance for the likes of Trai Fuller, Tevita Naufahu, Reece Foley and Taylor Losalu to grab their moment and inspire their team to victory on the big stage at Suncorp.

Follow all the action from Round 15 of the NRL Telstra Premiership on NRL.com's live blog.

 

Dolphins v Roosters at Suncorp Stadium

63 min: The Dolphins answer straight back with Tevita Naufahu scorching away down the left wing and kicking back inside for Brad Schneider to regather and score. Jamayne Isaako bangs over his seventh conversion. Dolphins 42-4

62 min: Toby Rodwell puts Angus Crichton into a hole with a sweet pass but Crichton's pass to Junior Tupou is too low and the winger can't control it.

60 min: The Roosters hoist the ball high and Billy Smith flies but doesn't make contact with the ball. It bounces free for Rex Bassingthwaighte to pick up the scraps and race away for a try on debut. Toby Rodwell misses the conversion. Dolphins 36-4

57 min: More classy ball play from Isaiya Katoa who finds Kodi Nkorima who sends it on to Herbie Farnworth who slices through the line and picks up Connelly Lemuelu backing up for another Dolphins try. Jamayne Isaako converts. Dolphins 36-0

53 min: A third debutant for the night for the Roosters as Toby Rodwell enters the game.

53 min: On the back of a penalty the Dolphins get great field position again and Jeremy Marshall-King darts out of dummy half to make it two tries in four minutes for the Dolphins. Jamayne Isaako converts from in front. Dolphins 30-0

49 min: A mistake by Angus Crichton deep in his own territory has the Roosters under the pump and the Dolphins strike immediately as Isaiya Katoa chips over the top for Kodi Nikorima to follow through and score his 50th career try courtesy of a perfect bounce. Katoa takes the conversion and knocks it over. Dolphins 24-0

47 min: A searching kick out of dummy half from Benaiah Ioelu picks up 50 metres and Tevita Naufahu is wrapped up right on his own goal line.

Trai Fuller Try

44 min: Try time for Trai Fuller after Kodi Nikorima puts Oryn Keeley into space and the back-rower picks up the flying fullback Fuller in support. Jamayne Isaako converts. Dolphins 18-0

43 min: With heavy rain falling, the handling will be tough and Jamayne Isaako loses control as Angus Crichton goes for a strip but the Dolphins clean up the loose ball.

Red, Whyte and blue: Roosters big man Naufahu Whyte was unstoppable at times as he took the game up to the Dolphins' middles with nine powerhouse runs. Whyte made 106 metres, with 58 of those post-contact, and got through 27 tackles as well.

Half-time: The Dolphins completed 22 of 25 sets at 88 per cent and controlled the game well on the back of Isaiya Katoa's kicking game and Trai Fuller's gutsy kick returns that got their sets started. Fuller made 156 metres from 14 runs and had three tackle breaks in a typically dynamic performance.

Ramsey tries his luck on the hooter

40 min: On the stroke of half-time Cody Ramsey launches an audacious long-range field goal attempt from 53 metres out and the ball hits the post.

38 min: A big run down the right touchline by Rex Bassingthwaighte but the Dolphins scramble back in cover and the Roosters come up with a knock-on.

36 min: A high tackle penalty against Nat Butcher allows the Dolphins out of their own end and they go 70 metres on the set before Tommy Talau saves the day for the Roosters with an intercept.

34 min: The Roosters build some pressure on the back of a set restart but Daly Cherry-Evans grubber from close range is easily cleaned up by Isaiya Katoa.

31 min: Roosters centre Hugo Savala leaves the field for a HIA which he fails and is also ruled out.

28 min: Cody Ramsey puts a great chase on a high kick but comes up with a knock-on in the contest and the Dolphins come away.

26 min: Debutant Reece Foley leaves the field for a HIA after getting his head in an awkward position trying to tackle Jamayne Isaako front-on. Foley is ruled a Category 1 head knock and his night is over.

22 min: Daly Cherry-Evans goes in search of a 40-20 and Tevita Naufahu has to get on his bike to get across and keep the ball in play.

Herbie Farnworth Try

19 min: Slick hands from Isaiya Katoa, Connelly Lemuelu and Kodi Nikorima create space for Herbie Farnworth to score on the left edge. That's six tries for the season for Herbie. The conversion is slotted by Jamayne Isaako. Dolphins 12-0

Isaiya Katoa Try

14 min: Isaiya Katoa takes on the line and dummies his way past Daly Cherry-Evans and Siua Wong to grab the opening try. Jamayne Isaako converts. That's a little piece of history for Isaako, who equals the premiership record for consecutive pointscoring. Isaako has now scored points in 94 consecutive games (2022-26) while former Canterbury winger Steve Gearin scored in 94 straight games between 1978 and '82. Dolphins 6-0

13 min: Isaiya Katoa's bomb is spilled by Tommy Talau and the Dolphins get a scrum 20 metres out.

11 min: The Dolphins go left on the last play but Tevita Naufahu is well wrapped up by the debutant Rex Bassingthwaighte.

9 min: A trademark clearing kick from Daly Cherry-Evans has the Dolphins pinned deep in their own end before a high tackle penalty against Salesi Foketi gets them out of trouble.

6 min: The Dolphins put together a good set and Isaiya Katoa kicks high at the end of it. Tommy Talau makes a safe catch.

5 min: Salesi Foketi looks to have given the Roosters the perfect start as some slick footwork carries him past Jack Bostock and Francis Molo to the tryline but replays show Molo had clung on to Foketi and the arm carrying the ball touched the ground. Dolphins penalty.

4 min: A Cody Ramsey line break puts the Roosters in good position before Daly Cherry-Evans' bomb is spilled by Tevita Naufahu and the visitors get six again.

Late Mail

Dolphins: The Phins line up 1-19 with no late changes. Isaiya Katoa was released from Blues camp on Wednesday and will steer the ship at Suncorp. Katoa was part of the NSW squad as cover for five-eighth Mitchell Moses. With five players in the Maroons squad, the Dolphins' depth will be tested but Kristian Woolf has backed fullback Trai Fuller, winger Tevita Naufahu, prop Felise Kaufusi, back-rower Oryn Keeley and utility Brad Schneider to step up against the Roosters. 

Roosters: Trent Robinson has shuffled the deck on game day with Billy Smith moving to the centres, Egan Butcher going to the bench and Rex Bassingthwaighte coming in on the wing for his NRL debut. Junior Tupou has been added to the six-man bench. Veteran Daly Cherry-Evans will captain the side and steps into the No.7 jumper and Hugo Savala shifs from the centres to five-eighth. Centre Reece Foley has been named to make his NRL debut.

Numbers Game

  • The Dolphins have won four of their last five games at Suncorp Stadium.
  • The Roosters have scored 170 points in four straight wins over the Dolphins.
  • Dolphins winger Jamayne Isaako has scored eight tries in his last six games.
  • Roosters winger Billy Smith will make his 50th NRL appearance.
  • Dolphins centre Jack Bostock has scored five tries in his last four games at Suncorp Stadium.
Acknowledgement of Country

National Rugby League respects and honours the Traditional Custodians of the land and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and future. We acknowledge the stories, traditions and living cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on the lands we meet, gather and play on.

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