Kaufusi keen to ‘get our campaign going’

Image: File photo

Dolphins NRL Vice-Captain Felise Kaufusi says the team will be more disciplined when they take on the Tigers at their spiritual home at Redcliffe this weekend, chasing a win to kick-start their 2025 campaign.

Following a challenging fortnight to start the season, with preparations for the side's first two games interrupted by Tropical Cyclone Alfred, Dolphins Head Coach Kristian Woolf has named an unchanged side to take on the Tigers.

The stage is set for a cracking game of footy in front of a heaving Kayo Stadium (4.30pm kick off). The game is sold out.

Kaufusi acknowledged the team’s and his own shortcomings in their first two games of the season.

Discipline is a key area of focus this week and he believes the team is on track to get their first win of the season.

“To be honest, we’re looking forward to being back at home this week in front of our own crowd (and) a full week of training with no interruptions,” Kaufusi said after training yesterday.

Uncharacteristic mistakes, which cruelled any chance of building momentum, kept the Dolphins out of the contest against the Knights in Newcastle last week and they went down 26-12.

Kaufusi said all players needed to reflect on their performances and how they could do better this weekend.

“You’ve just got to look in your backyard, myself included. It was a pretty poor performance on the weekend. I think we (need to) fix ourselves up first and foremost and not look at pointing the finger,” he said.

“Discipline first and foremost. If I talk about myself, that rolled ball to start the game … we had just) got a penalty, we were in a good position and it just hands it right back. I don’t think we got any momentum throughout that game with our discipline.

“It’s only the start of the year … we’d like to get a win this weekend to get our campaign going.”

The Tigers are coming off a 32-6 thumping of the Parramatta Eels in round two after a narrow 10-8 loss to the Knights in the first round.

Kaufusi is wary but also confident the Dolphins can match their newfound tempo.

“They had a good win last weekend, so I know they’ll be full of energy … same as us,” he said.