Hammer drops Slater signal: Four things learned from Dolphins’ triumph

However, on the back of 216m and three tackle busts to go along with his highlight reel plays, Tabuai-Fidow’s lack of match fitness will appear to have little bearing. He has one final audition against the Warriors next week.

“It was good to have him back, you feel for someone like Trai Fuller who’s done a great for us those weeks Hammer was out, but Hammer came straight in today, he’s our fullback, and he’s done a great job,” Dolphins captain Jesse Bromwich said.

“Obviously Origin is around the corner for him as well, so he’s looking good.”

JMK extension priority looms large

Jeremy Marshall-King has established himself as one of the NRL’s premier hookers since arriving at Redcliffe, and his latest exploits will no doubt have rival clubs on notice.

The Kiwi product was strong once again against an outfit led by his brother, Benji Marshall, and he could be an intriguing domino to fall courtesy of the ever-present coaching carousel.

“I didn’t even realise how good of a player he is until we started playing together last year,” Bromwich said.

“He’s a really important part of this team, alongside our other spine players. He’s improving, the next step for him is a bit of communication, but other than that he’s been one of our best players.”

Wayne Bennett’s tenure at the South Sydney Rabbitohs is expected to begin next year, the supercoach having been the man to identify Marshall-King as the man to don the Dolphins’ No.9 jersey.

Loading

Given the Bunnies have been fighting to get out of the doldrums in 2024, isolated at the bottom of the ladder with just one win, change is surely afoot when Bennett returns to the helm.

Despite Damien Cook’s standing as a State of Origin dummy-half, he turns 33 next month and the Rabbitohs need some regeneration to a largely ageing roster.

Marshall-King, who comes off contract at the end of 2025 and will be free to negotiate with clubs from November 1, has been a name whispered as someone who could follow Bennett to Sydney at the end of his deal.

The Kiwi international was constantly probing through the middle of the field on Sunday, ultimately coming up with a try assist from close range for cult hero prop Mark Nicholls to charge over for his second try in two weeks.

He then delivered the perfect short pass for a hard-running Euan Aitken mere seconds after Tigers centre Justin Olam was sent to the sin bin for a dangerous tackle on Jamayne Isaako, only for the Bunker to deny the try for an obstruction by Nicholls.

Marshall-King engaged with a running battle with rival hooker Api Koroisau, who produced a moment of magic from a late Jayden Sullivan offload to score on his 200th NRL appearance and keep his Tigers well and truly in the fight with 25 minutes remaining.

But while he rarely ran the ball with his usual vigour – doing so just once despite averaging 55m a game – Marshall-King’s try assist and pair of linebreak assists to go with 47 tackles [albeit with nine misses] highlighted the versatility he brings.

An inability to lock him down at the Dolphins quickly could trigger a bidding war for his services, but Bennett suggested he would not be out to recruit players from his current club once he moves on.

“I won’t be taking any of the kids they want to keep, that’s not going to happen,” Bennett said.

“I didn’t set about building this club to try and destroy it, that’s just not going to happen. If there’s a guy there they’re not offering a contract to, or he’s looking to go somewhere else, if I think he can play a bit, well that’ll be different.

“But I want all these players to stay there.”

Jack’s stock rising in rookie race

Jack Bostock’s rise this year has thrust him well into the Rookie of the Year conversation.

But more than that, the 20-year-old’s prowess out wide has given the Dolphins a more lateral dimension to their attack either side of the field.

Last year, the NRL’s newest franchise became highly reliant on Isaako on the right flank, who scored 24 of his side’s 92 tries to reclaim his New Zealand Test jumper.

But with Bostock joining the ranks, having played four games in 2023 meaning he still – just – qualifies as a rookie this year, the Dolphins have attacking weapons across the park in their quest to secure a maiden finals berth.

He crossed for the opening try of the clash, and he even came up with a chargedown as the Tigers looked to chip in behind the line.

Bostock was ultimately forced from the field for a HIA following a reckless contact from Tigers centre Brent Naden, who was in turn sent to the sin bin with seconds remaining in the opening half.

Fortunately, he was able to return to the fray , and went on to finish with 123m and some strong kick-chases to help pin the Tigers in their own end.

He has now scored nine tries in 10 games this year, taking his career tally to 11.

Could these young halves one day lead the Blues?

It was an insight into the future when Dolphins halfback Isaiya Katoa and Tigers five-eighth Lachlan Galvin went to battle on Sunday night, and the pair have shown in the fledgling stages of their careers they could one day don the NSW colours.

That may yet be a decade away, given Nathan Cleary merely needs to be fit to have a mortgage on the Blues’ No.7 jumper, but the signs are bright.

Katoa is yet to confirm his tier-one nation eligibility, given he has ties to both Australia and New Zealand.

Thus far, he has become a staple selection for Tonga under head coach and Dolphins assistant Kristian Woolf, leaving him open to still declare his allegiance to the Kangaroos and in turn the Blues.

Katoa has been focal to the Dolphins’ surge into the top four since his injection into the team in round two, and the fruits of that were on show once again against the Tigers.

His kicking game was strong and kept the Tigers largely pinned, while his ability to engage the line and orchestrate sweeping lateral movements paved the way for the likes of Tabuai-Fidow to strike.

Loading

Galvin, meanwhile, continues to adopt a fearless approach running the ball.

One play – a hard charge followed by a late offload to Justin Olam in the first half – summed up his never-say-die attitude, while it was his sense to hit the short side hard and flat that gave winger Solomon Alaimalo the chance to offload late for Olam to score.

He finished with 123m and five tackle busts as he consistently tried to get his side back in the contest, and ensure the clash between these two young maestros was a tantalising prospect.