Dolphins NRL

2023 - 4 - 2

Post cover — Image courtesy of "Fox Sports"

Griffin's Dragons' huge response as Bennett's Dolphins face halves ... (Fox Sports)

Griffin's Dragons' huge response as Bennett's Dolphins face halves 'disaster' — Big Hits.

Hunt finished the night with five tackle breaks, a try, a line break, a line break assist and a try assist in the Red V’s seven-try performance. “Ben Hunt, the Dragons captain coming off with a big play, 33-years-of-age, this is his 294th NRL game, he is in his 15th season,” Fox League’s James Hooper said. Hunt was clearly furious with his team after last week’s loss to the Sharks, putting his team on his shoulders to lead from the front against Wayne Bennett’s Dolphins. The Red V conceded 60 second half points across the two games and had a point to prove with Anthony Griffin’s future at the club in doubt after he was informed he had to reapply for his job. The Red V then went on to pile on the points, recording five tries in the final 40 minutes in a huge response. A Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow error handed the Dragons a Zac Lomax try and Griffin’s side capitalised from there, with Ben Hunt darting over the tryline. Tabuai-Fidow attempted to get his side back into the contest, calling his team back after scoring from a Isaako break. But their joy would end their, with halfback Anthony Milford leaving the field with a hamstring injury in a huge blow to the 17th team. To start the second half, Zac Lomax scored after a horror Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow error as the ball landed in his lap. Anthony Griffin’s side were flogged by both the Broncos and Sharks in the club’s last two outings and had a point to prove with pressure on the maligned coach. Get all the latest NRL news, highlights and analysis delivered straight to your inbox with Fox Sports Sportmail. The Dragons have responded to two disappointing losses with a strong 38-12 victory over the NRL newcomers, the Dolphins.

Hunt runs hot as Dragons prove too good for Dolphins (NRL.COM)

The Dragons have bounced back from consecutive thrashings to outclass the Dolphins 38-12 at WIN Stadium on Saturday.

The Dragons travel to the Gold Coast in Round 6 for a Sunday afternoon clash with the Titans. We've been up for a month and we've kind of played in two semi-grand finals to be candid and they have handled it great but today we didn't play with that energy we've been playing with." Leaves me looking to the sky and saying a few prayers [with O'Sullivan and Milford both out]. After taking 91 games to cross for his first NRL try Dragons big man Blake Lawrie has exploded out of the blocks in 2023 with two in five games. I thought Junior [Amone] really added something to us tonight and he and Ben combined well for their first game together for the year." Just a minute later Isaako made amends when he dived into the corner after some nice hands by halves Anthony Milford and Isaiya Katoa.

Dragons breathe fire to give Dolphins NRL reality check (The Canberra Times)

St George Illawarra have delivered a pressure-relieving win for under-fire coach Anthony Griffin, ending a nightmare fortnight with...

They've handled it " "We've been up for a month and we've kind of played in two semi-finals, to be candid with you. For the Dolphins, the effect of their injuries are now beginning to show after a second straight loss following a hot start to the season. The halfback laid on another try when he fired a long pass for Mikaele Ravalawa to cross and put the game beyond doubt. With Griffin told the Dragons are considering their options for next year, he will have the chance to push his cause against Gold Coast, Canberra, the Sydney Roosters, Canterbury and Wests Tigers in the next five weeks. Jacob Liddle starred in his first game as starting hooker for the Red V, while Ben Hunt scored a try and set up another in the crucial win.

Dolphins lose another playmaker with injury (Zero Tackle)

The Dolphins have been dealt another massive blow with injury, as halfback Anthony Milford has done his hamstring against the Dragons.

[Isaiya Katoa](https://www.zerotackle.com/players/isaiya-katoa/) after he moved to the Dolphins from the [South Sydney Rabbitohs](https://www.zerotackle.com/nrl/teams/south-sydney-rabbitohs/) during the off-season. [Jeremy Marshall-King](https://www.zerotackle.com/players/jeremy-marshall-king/) has been moved into the halves with [Ray Stone](https://www.zerotackle.com/players/ray-stone/) moving into the hooker role. Knowing he injured his hamstring, he immediately went off the field. [FOLLOW THE GAME LIVE IN OUR MATCH CENTRE](https://www.zerotackle.com/live-dragons-dolphins-round-5-2023-mc12415-147252/) [The Dolphins](https://www.zerotackle.com/nrl/teams/dolphins/)' bench have confirmed it." [The Dolphins](https://www.zerotackle.com/nrl/teams/dolphins/) have been dealt another massive blow with injury, as halfback [Anthony Milford](https://www.zerotackle.com/players/anthony-milford/) has done his hamstring against the Dragons.

Wayne 'saying a few prayers' after Milford blow (Wide World of Sports)

After enjoying a rosy opening month of their NRL existence, the Dolphins have been exposed to the ruthlessness of the world's premier rugby league ...

[Wayne Bennett](https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/wayne-bennett)'s men copped their first drubbing on Saturday night, suffering a 38-12 thrashing at the hands of the lowly Dragons in Wollongong. Didn't happen in week two, three or four," Bennett told reporters. You all thought it would happen in week one, but it didn't. [clicking here](https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=wwos&redirect_uri=https://wwos.nine.com.au&newsletter=true)! [9Now](https://9now.app.link/NGHBKQkVweb) [a length-of-the-field Kotoni Staggs try in the dying minutes](https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/news-2023-brisbane-broncos-defeat-dolphins-as-kotoni-staggs-seals-result-sends-emphatic-message/fe1df3ad-4cce-4b73-a701-6cda793e70f7). "They turned up and were a different team to what they've been the last couple of weeks." [Former England skipper cleared of racist remark](https://wwos.nine.com.au/cricket/exengland-cricket-captain-vaughan-cleared-of-racism-charge/82ad6165-9370-45e6-ad89-be5201bd40db) [Dolphins](https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/the-dolphins) have been exposed to the ruthlessness of the world's premier rugby league competition. [Anthony Milford](https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/anthony-milford), who was scrubbed from the match in the 18th minute due to a hamstring problem. [Frightening scenes as Knights cop another blow](https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/news-2023-newcastle-knights-tyson-gamble-suffers-scary-head-knock-in-manly-sea-eagles-clash/c7a1d4f2-977e-4d7a-bc65-07e600d979a9) [Piastri blames 'inexperience' for 'painful' qualifying](https://wwos.nine.com.au/motorsport/f1-australian-grand-prix-2023-oscar-piastri-attributes-inexperience-to-painful-first-home-qualifying/430eeb6f-1a01-4047-ba26-76c7f262e331)

NRL Round 5: Wayne Bennett suggests blip was coming after ... (Sporting News AU)

Dolphins coach Wayne Bennett has suggested his side were due a stumble after an odds-defying start to life in the NRL.

The Dragons face a trip to the Gold Coast in round 6, while the Dolphins head to Townsville for a clash with the Cowboys. “The Dragons have been at the other end of the spectrum and I think anyone that has any football knowledge at all would know that they were going to try pretty hard today and they’ve turned up and been a different team that they’ve been the past couple of weeks,” he added. In a blow for the Dolphins after Sean O’Sullivan was injured last week, playmaker Anthony Milford was ruled out with a hamstring problem in the first half and is expected to miss around a month.