Andrew Johns has expressed strong criticism towards the Dolphins following their 26-12 defeat to Newcastle. The beginning of Kristian Woolf’s tenure as head coach has been challenging, as the Dolphins struggled against a determined Knights team. Despite having fewer errors and penalties than their opponents, the Dolphins’ lack of discipline proved detrimental at critical moments in the match.
The Knights swiftly asserted their dominance, with James Schiller scoring the first try unchallenged just nine minutes in. Although Dolphins’ Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow appeared to have equalised, his effort was disallowed by the Bunker due to obstruction by Felise Kaufusi. This setback allowed Schiller to score again, and soon after, Bradman Best and Dane Gagai capitalised on a stellar performance from Kalyn Ponga, extending the Knights’ lead. Johns noted the Knights’ impressive fluidity, commenting, “I haven’t seen the Knights look this slick in a long time.”
Discipline issues plagued the Dolphins, with hooker Jeremy Marshall-King penalised for a roll-ball infringement on the cusp of half-time, marking a second such error for the team. Johns didn’t hold back, stating, “Once again, that discipline… really poor… They all know, all off-season they have been told. They need to be better.” This error resulted in Gagai scoring, further widening the gap.
Marshall-King, seemingly unable to rectify his mistake, faced penalties again in the second half as the Dolphins sought a comeback. Johns suggested rigorous training to eliminate these costly blunders, echoing Cameron Smith’s sentiments about the necessity of breaking poor habits through practice. Isaiya Katoa made a late effort to rally his team, but even with Kai Pearce-Paul receiving a late dismissal, the Dolphins were unable to close the gap, leaving them winless in the opening matches of the season.
Woolf expressed disappointment post-match, noting the unexpected emergence of roll-ball penalties, a problem the team hadn’t faced during the trials or pre-season. He acknowledged the significant impact these errors had on the game, reflecting on the need for a turnaround. “Every win is important, every week is important,” he remarked, stressing the urgency to kick-start the season as they move forward.