![\"Nick](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/441fcc43b663461ee537a1fa43bde38dbfcd68a8.png\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Updated May 7, 2026 \u2014 11:18pm,first published 10:10pm<\/p>\n
Save<\/p>\n
You have reached your maximum number of saved items.<\/p>\n
Remove items from your saved list<\/a> to add more.<\/p>\n AAA<\/p>\n Jamayne Isaako has produced one of the finest performances of his NRL career, and in doing so, sent the Bulldogs into panic stations with their season teetering on the brink of collapse.<\/p>\n The New Zealand Test winger was in a realm of his own in his side\u2019s 44-12 triumph at Suncorp Stadium, crossing for a hat-trick and producing some of the more miraculous assists of the season.<\/p>\n Having showcased a mixture of speed, strength and classy finishes in each of his three tries, it was his miracle pass as he was being tackled into touch while midair for his centre Jack Bostock to score that had to be seen to be believed.<\/p>\n Isaako was the beneficiary of brilliant work by his halves for his first two tries, with Isaiya Katoa\u2019s long pass for Bostock providing the space for the Kiwi to fly into the corner. His second came courtesy of a sensational cutout ball from Kodi Nikorima, in what was his first game back from a two-game suspension.<\/p>\n Related Article His third, however, was brilliant \u2013 latching onto a Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow pass to fend off three defenders in a half-field run that showed even after 13 years in professional rugby league, he still had plenty of speed to burn.<\/p>\n On the back of Isaako\u2019s 248 running metres, four linebreaks and eight tackle busts, his team lifted \u2013 Katoa and Nikorima pulling the strings brilliantly.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s the best game I\u2019ve seen him play,\u201d Dolphins coach Kristian Woolf said of Isaako, who will leave for the Melbourne Storm at season\u2019s end.<\/p>\n \u201cHe was outstanding in the way he carried, outstanding with his opportunities down the sideline there, and took his chances as well.\u201d<\/p>\n Bulldogs woes compounded. Where to now?<\/p>\n Everything seemed to point to Canterbury-Bankstown breaking a limp three-game losing streak after this clash\u2019s opening 30 minutes. Instead, coach Cameron Ciraldo was left issuing a callout to his New South Wales Cup players, declaring there would now be spots up for grabs.<\/p>\n \u201cIf one of the young blokes in New South Wales Cup wants to put their hand up, there\u2019s going to be an opportunity for them. If they want to stay in system and put their body on the line, we\u2019re looking for guys who want to do that,\u201d Ciraldo said.<\/p>\n At the half-hour mark, the visitors had 77 per cent of the territory and had only conceded once. They still led 12-4 at that point, with Lachlan Galvin\u2019s bullet pass for Jaeman Salmon to score getting the ball rolling, before a miracle no-look pass from Connor Tracey provided safe passage for Stephen Crichton to cross.<\/p>\n Yet somehow, they trailed at halftime with only 12 men on the field, after Jacob Preston was sent to the sin bin for a late hit on Katoa after throwing a switch pass.<\/p>\n Even with all that field position \u2013 and the Dolphins gifting them several chances with seven first-half penalties \u2013 the Bulldogs just could not capitalise. Sam Hughes, Sitili Tupouniua and Bailey Hayward all knocked on inside the Dolphins\u2019 20-metre zone, before a hurried Galvin tap-on was swooped on by Isaako.<\/p>\n That initial break and offload for Bostock led to a shift the other way for Selwyn Cobbo to cross, before Preston was given his marching orders.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know what you want him to do: Katoa has got the ball, he\u2019s going to tackle him and release it a millisecond before he hits him, I don\u2019t understand it,\u201d Ciraldo said.<\/p>\n As Preston remained missing, Isaako sealed his hat-trick, and that was all the momentum the Dolphins needed \u2013 hooker Jeremy Marshall-King scoring in his first appearance of the year out of dummy-half, before Katoa\u2019s double pump for Nikorima extended the margin further.<\/p>\n The duo combined again late to unleash Cobbo for his second from long range, as the enigmatic winger pushes his case for a Queensland Maroons recall.<\/p>\n There was just a sense that with every opportunity to attack the Bulldogs missed, they were inviting the Dolphins back in, and had let a golden chance to get their season back on track slip \u2013 just as they had against the Broncos two weeks earlier on this same Brisbane turf. <\/a><\/p>\n From that, their defence on the edges went up in flames, with 46 missed tackles to the Dolphins\u2019 19, while conceding eight linebreaks.<\/p>\n \u201cOur forwards are working their asses off, trying really hard and putting a lot of effort in, and then on the edges we either decide to not stay in system or decide to not put our body on the line,\u201d Ciraldo said.<\/p>\n![\"Jamayne](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/e2666ae3f8fdb504f549703367e305ab760392e7.jpeg\")
Jamayne Isaako secured a hat-trick, and also produced some mind-boggling assists.Getty Images<\/p>\n![\"Jason](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1778161155_467_c7a9f7964ce0404bdd0ef40f4c86f6a3c4a49549c2e614e24fbf27ae542459bc.jpeg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n
![\"Reece](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/835ffba4a19929f1d107f90dc56af418a23cdfa78d4fc79cdb604cb19e27e5ff.gif\")
<\/a><\/p>\n