DOLPHINS 44 CANTERBURY BULLDOGS 12
TOM SMITH, Suncorp Stadium, Thursday

JAMAYNE ISAAKO completed a hat-trick as the Dolphins enjoyed a second-half demolition of the Bulldogs.

Canterbury held a deserved lead approaching half-time before referee Grant Atkins sin-binned Jacob Preston for a late tackle on Isaiya Katoa. 

Isaako snatched his second before the break and his third soon after the restart as the Phins seized the momentum and never let it go. 

On top of his three tries, the prolific Dolphins winger also booted six goals and tallied a game-high 257 running metres, eight tackle busts and four line breaks. 

Selwyn Cobbo grabbed two tries on the other flank, Tom Gilbert laid the platform in the middle and dummy-half Jeremy Marshall-King made a productive return from a freak off-season knee injury, scoring a try against his old club. 

This result is the Dogs’ fourth straight loss since upsetting the table-topping Panthers, and marks the third straight week their spluttering attack has only mustered twelve points. 

Both clubs entered round ten with records reading three wins and five losses – not where their respective coaches would’ve expected to be after one third of the campaign. 

Cameron Ciraldo lost Matt Burton (illness), Kurt Mann (concussion) and Jake Turpin (biceps) from the line-up that fell to the Cowboys last time. 

On the other hand, the Dolphins snapped a four-game losing streak by belting the Storm last Friday, and Kristian Woolf regained Kodi Nikorima from suspension alongside Marshall-King while ex-Eel Ray Stone celebrated his 100th NRL match. 

Canterbury dominated the opening exchanges. The officials denied Samuel Hughes for an Enari Tuala knock-on but Lachlan Galvin soon released Jaeman Salmon for the first try and Thomas Flegler’s high tackle handed Stephen Crichton a penalty goal. 

Isaako burned Connor Tracey and Bailey Hayward for his first against the run of play, before brilliant offloads by Sitili Tupouniua and Tracey helped Crichton stretch the Bulldogs’ lead. 

However, Isaako’s intercept led to Cobbo’s first four-pointer. 

And Preston’s late tackle on Katoa – catching the Dolphins’ playmaker in the back with his head turned – shifted the contest decisively.

Isaako broke through the twelve men in blue and white thanks to a neat Nikorima pass to secure a 14-12 half-time lead.

Connelly Lemuelu nearly put Cobbo over straight after the restart, and it wasn’t long before  Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow’s looping pass assisted Isaako’s third. 

Marshall-King darted over from dummy-half for a signature score following months on the sideline, then a brilliant Isaako offload gifted Jack Bostock four points. 

Katoa showed off his playmaking skills by timing an inch-perfect pass to put Nikorima through from close range. 

Some desperate Dolphins defence repelled Hughes again, before Cobbo tore down the left touchline to complete his brace. 

Isaako’s sideline conversion put the finishing touches on the scoreboard, although Kulikefu Finefeuiaki’s sin-binning with seconds remaining added some late drama. 

GAMESTAR: Jamayne Isaako racked up 24 points and 257 running metres as the Dolphins punished the Dogs after half-time. 

GAMEBREAKER: Selwyn Cobbo galloped away with the Phins’ eighth and final try with three minutes remaining. 

MATCHFACTS

DOLPHINS
1 Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow
2 Jamayne Isaako
3 Jack Bostock
4 Herbie Farnworth
5 Selwyn Cobbo
18 Kodi Nikorima
7 Isaiya Katoa
8 Thomas Flegler
9 Max Plath
10 Francis Molo
11 Connelly Lemuelu
12 Kulikefu Finefeuiaki
13 Morgan Knowles
Subs
6 Brad Schneider (not used)
14 Ray Stone
15 Tom Gilbert
16 Felise Kaufusi
19 Jeremy Marshall-King
21 Tevita Naufahu (not used)

Tries: Isaako (21, 38, 45), Cobbo (32), Marshall-King (57), Bostock (61), Nikorima (66), Cobbo (78)
Goals: Isaako 6/8
Sin bin: Finefeuiaki (80) – professional foul

BULLDOGS
1 Connor Tracey
2 Jonathan Sua
3 Bronson Xerri
4 Stephen Crichton
5 Enari Tuala
15 Sean O’Sullivan
7 Lachlan Galvin
8 Samuel Hughes
9 Bailey Hayward
10 Leo Thompson
11 Sitili Tupouniua
12 Jacob Preston
13 Jaeman Salmon
Subs
14 Alekolasimi Jones
16 Harry Hayes
17 Josh Curran
20 Lipoi Hopoi
21 Jethro Rinakama (not used)
23 Logan Spinks (not used)

Tries: Salmon (9), Crichton (26)
Goals: Crichton 2/3
Sin bin: Preston (37) – late tackle

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 0-8, 4-8, 4-12, 8-12, 14-12; 20-12, 26-12, 32-12, 38-12, 44-12

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Dolphins: Jamayne Isaako; Bulldogs: Leo Thompson

Penalty count: 8-10
Half-time: 14-12
Referee: Grant Atkins
Attendance: 16,143