Fitting in: Dolphins face forward puzzle with returning stars

The prospect of the Dolphins fielding a fully fit side to start the 2026 season has a number of their key forwards fired up to try and keep their place in Kristian Woolf’s team of 17.

Connelly Lemuelu this week signed a one-year extension and declared his main goal next year was to claim a starting spot, while Max Plath – who claimed the Arthur Beetson Medal as the club’s best player in 2024 – is on the comeback trail after undergoing ACL surgery six months ago.

With the likes of captain Tom Gilbert, fellow State of Origin representatives Thomas Flegler and Daniel Saifiti and Pacific Championship players Jeremy Marshall-King and Francis Molo in line to return for Round 1, as well as the arrival of England international Morgan Knowles; the forward stocks that took a heavy hit in 2025 are set to be full to bursting.

“Definitely (it will be hard to return to the team); I'm very much a realist in that sort of sense,” Plath said.

“We've got some really good forwards and no-one has rights to any jersey whatsoever, so it's going to be a big motivation for me to try and get back into that team.

“I'm a realist and Woolfy will name the best 17, so if I can just put my hand up and try and improve my game, hopefully I can get back in.”

The emergence this past season of the versatile Kurt Donoghoe – who like Plath can play as a half, lock, backrower and hooker – as a strong middle has also made Plath’s aim of fitting into the NRL side as he targets his Round 3 return even more challenging.

“I've always thought from since I've met Kurt that he's a sensational player and whatever position he could play, he could absolutely brain it,” Plath said.

“I've said this a couple of times to some of the boys, but I'd much rather be the worst player in a winning team than being the best player in a losing team.

“Winning's everything for me and if that's Kurt's position, that's Kurt's position.

“I can figure out another way to help the team win, so, it's more so about having a really good team together and winning footy games.”

Lemuelu, who scored nine tries in 20 games last year, has provided plenty of impact on the edge for the team, but was eyeing a spot in the run-on side and a chance to extend his time with club beyond 2027. 

“I came off the bench last year and I'm pushing for that starting spot this year,” Lemuelu said.

“I've made it a goal of mine to be an elite backrower and hopefully I can use this year to do that and become a starter.

“Then hopefully we'll go from there and get to extend my time a bit longer.

“(My game has) developed a lot (since coming to the Dolphins). I was obviously a fringe first grader up at the Cowboys before I moved down and since coming here, I feel like I've established myself as an NRL player.

“I'm approaching 100 games this year, so fingers crossed I get to knock that milestone off, but we've had good people with Wayne (Bennett) and Woolfy's coming in now, so just learning a lot and hoping to be better every year.