Dolphins ready for Redcliffe return

Image credit: NRL 

Dolphins return to their “spiritual home” Kayo Stadium tonight (7pm) with coach Kristian Woolf saying his team is “ready to go”.

Woolf is happy with the response to last week’s defeat by Broncos and felt confident ahead of facing Manly Sea Eagles at Kippa-Ring.

“Our blokes love playing here,” he said, “it is our spiritual home. We really enjoy it. It’s where we train. Where we feel like our home is.

“That’s not taking anything away from Suncorp, we love playing there too, but we don’t get many opportunities to play here and we love coming back.”

Woolf said Dolphins were not “quite at our best last week” against Broncos - a fact he says has been recognised by the players.

“It was a high quality game, a high intensity game, but we didn’t quite execute the way we can,” Woolf said.

“I’ve been really happy with the response this week, we’ve trained with a lot more intent and I like the bounce and feel about us today. I’m confident we are ready to go.”

Sea Eagles arrive with new interim coach Kieran Foran taking his first charge for the first time after replacing Anthony Siebold.

Woolf believes with the change, Sea Eagles will have a “bit of the unknown about them” and some “real tricks” but insists Dolphins will just concentrate on themselves.

“Broncos had turmoil last week and came out and played well,” Woolf said. “Manly will try to do the same thing.

“(If) we bring our game, bring our standards, play at our best we are going to be hard to beat. We need to get ourselves right more than anything else.”

Woolf has named the same starting side that faced Broncos, with Kurt Donoghoe returning on the bench after a hamstring injury.

“We’ve missed a lot of what he brings, toughness in defence, speed and intensity and the way he can play with the ball as well, so he’s a great inclusion for us,” Woolf said.

There was also recognition of Jamayne Isaako’s impact as a foundation player with 50 tries among his 791 points in Dolphins colours.

Isaako, the only player to feature in every Dolphins NRL game, will leave Redcliffe at the end of this season and join Melbourne Storm on a two-year contract.

“Jamayne has been a great player here. He’s really resurrected his career here. We give him opportunities, he finds ways to make them six points.,” Woolf Said.

“He’s a real professional and a great person around the place. We’re sad to see him go, but at the same time we understand there are other factors at play and it’s a great opportunity for him.”