Still going swimmingly: Dolphins buoyant despite first loss since Anzac Day

The winning streak is over, but Dolphins coach Kristian Woolf has lost no confidence in his side after their 13-12 loss to the Knights at McDonald Jones Stadium on Sunday.

A 75th minute Dylan Brown field goal was the difference as Newcastle handed the Dolphins their first loss since Anzac Day, when the Warriors pipped them 20-18 in Wellington.

In their eight straight wins since then, the Dolphins averaged 35.5 points a game, but they were held scoreless in the first half in Newcastle, then surged home in the second half to tie the scores at 12-12 before Brown broke the deadlock.

“I thought we tried really hard, particularly in the second half, to fight our way back into it. So yeah, disappointing to lose in the end, but really happy with the effort,” Woolf said.

The Dolphins were without star playmaker Isaiya Katoa, who is out for four to six weeks after undergoing wrist surgery last week, Ray Stone (soreness), and Origin representatives Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, Selwyn Cobbo, Max Plath, Thomas Flegler and Jack Bostock.

The fifth-placed Dolphins (24 points) host sixth-placed Cronulla (24) at Redcliffe on Saturday then play the Cowboys at Suncorp Stadium on July 19 before their final bye.

Woolf said the Dolphins had demonstrated their depth during their eight-game winning streak, when they had to cover injuries and absent representative players, and were still well and truly in the race for the coveted top-four positions.

“I think we’ve shown that through the whole Origin period,” Woolf said. 

“We’ve been really strong. That’s our first loss for this group, and I know they’re really disappointed with that, because they’ve been travelling really well and they’ve been really proud of what they’re doing.”

Centre Jake Averillo (hand) returned against the Knights after being sidelined since Anzac Day, and prop Tom Gilbert (throat) was back after missing their 26-24 victory over the Warriors on June 27.

Averillo’s line break in the 58th minute set up Kurt Donoghoe’s try, which Jamayne Isaako converted to cut Newcastle’s lead to 12-10, and Gilbert felt they created enough opportunities in the final 20 minutes to go on with the job.

“We were disappointed,” Gilbert said. “Obviously when there’s games to be won, and a great chance there with 15 minutes, 10 minutes to go, there was a game to be won and we just didn’t nail a few things.

“There’s some really great lessons for us as a group, really great lessons for those young blokes who’ve had an opportunity over the last couple of weeks, but there was a game to be won and that’s why we’re left disappointed.”

Though Katoa will miss their next two games, the Dolphins could welcome back their five Origin players against the Sharks next Saturday, though Woolf said he would wait and see how they all pull up after Wednesday’s decider before finalising his team.