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Remove items from your saved list<\/a> to add more.<\/p>\n AAA<\/p>\n These were not the signs of an NRL premiership contender. But they are ones the Dolphins cannot afford to forget if they are to rewrite rugby league history.<\/p>\n Saturday\u2019s 66-0 capitulation against Cronulla in Redcliffe<\/a> \u2013 the same scene as their 52-18 defeat to Manly in round five \u2013 was the most embarrassing in the club\u2019s four-year history, and came despite having built a reputation as a team who, even in defeat, would always be in the fight.<\/p>\n Either side of their eight-game winning streak were tight losses to the Panthers, Knights (one point) and Warriors (two points). The Sharks\u2019 implosion left Dolphins forward Felise Kaufusi flabbergasted.<\/p>\n \u201cEmbarrassed would be an understatement. It\u2019s hard to put it on anything because we were all pretty ordinary,\u201d Kaufusi said.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat I do know is we\u2019ve been in this same position before. We know what we\u2019re capable of, and I think we\u2019ve got too much of a quality team to go backwards from here.<\/p>\n Related Article \u201cYou can\u2019t afford to dwell on losses like that, you\u2019ve obviously got to learn and go through it which is tough, but we\u2019ve got too many quality players to not do anything about it.\u201d<\/p>\n The Dolphins will seek to cast aside their disappointment for Sunday\u2019s clash with the Cowboys.<\/p>\n These are the moments from the Cronulla horror show they cannot erase from their memory if they are to keep their hopes of not only a top four finish, but a maiden finals campaign alive.<\/p>\n Desperation in defence<\/p>\n Early in the Sharks\u2019 humiliation, the Dolphins appeared in the grind, after try-saving tackles from Trai Fuller and Herbie Farnworth kept the scores locked at 0-0.<\/p>\n But from that first try to prop Oregon Kaufusi, when he fended through flimsy tackle attempts by Morgan Knowles and Fuller, defensive lapses were exposed.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n By the second term, the desire seemed to completely leave the Dolphins \u2013 highlighted by the way Sharks enforcer Tom Hazelton charged through the middle en route to 155 running metres.<\/p>\n Against a forward pack boasting representative props Kaufusi, Thomas Flegler, Francis Molo and Tom Gilbert, Hazelton found open space far too easily.<\/p>\n After halfback Nicho Hynes attempted to cut back on the inside for his middle man, only for the pass to hit the turf, the No.7 attempted the same on the next play, with Hazelton scoring untouched.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n The lack of inside cover defence showed a lack of intent, and Hazelton helped himself to another linebreak soon after which led to Jesse Ramien scoring.<\/p>\n While Cronulla\u2019s middles had a field day \u2013 Kaufusi (134 metres), Addin Fonua-Blake (131 metres) and Cameron McInnes (121 metres) joining the carnage \u2013 hooker Blayke Brailey pulled the defence apart.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cIt just compounded with their quick play the balls \u2013 Brailey was having plenty of joy throughout the middle,\u201d Kaufusi said.<\/p>\n Related Article \u201cOur commitment to stopping tackles and being in the grind wasn\u2019t there.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s something we\u2019ve addressed and have got to be better at. With how tight the comp is, wins at any cost are so important.\u201d<\/p>\n Kaufusi stressed that against a Cowboys pack spearheaded by resurgent lock Jason Taumalolo, such lapses would be even more unforgivable, particularly given his expectation the latter will come with a point to prove to Dolphins and Tonga coach Kristian Woolf.<\/p>\n \u201cWe had bloody Addin off the back of Origin come out, and he played one of his best games against us through the middle,\u201d Kaufusi said.<\/p>\n \u201cAny Tongan coming through wants to prove a point to coach.\u201d<\/p>\n Reading the game<\/p>\n The absence of halfback Isaiya Katoa with a fractured arm has been glaring.<\/p>\n The way the 22-year-old digs into the line before unleashing his outside backs has made the Dolphins one of the NRL\u2019s most lethal attacking outfits, only for them to score just twice in the past two weeks.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n But Kaufusi backed reserve No.7 Brad Schneider to lead the side out of the doldrums.<\/p>\n Schneider was error-free aside from two missed tackles from 30 attempts, but his final play options were lacking threat.<\/p>\n The Dolphins still had 28 tackles \u2013 essentially six sets \u2013 inside the Sharks\u2019 20-metre zone compared to Cronulla\u2019s 29, but failed to capitalise.<\/p>\n In the territory battle, 51 per cent of the game was played inside the Sharks\u2019 half.<\/p>\n Execution in those moments could have flipped the script, as could have the decision to turn down a two-point penalty goal after 15 minutes \u2013 with the scores still tied and the Sharks showing plenty of defensive resolve \u2013 only for Flegler to knock on over the line.<\/p>\n The Sharks scored off the following set.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cI think Brad\u2019s a good player coming in there. We\u2019ll get [Katoa] back in a few weeks, and we have to work with what we\u2019ve got,\u201d Kaufusi said.<\/p>\n \u201cEveryone has injuries throughout the year. We were flying with Izzy \u2013 we all know what type of player he is, and how much he adds to the team \u2013 but it\u2019s the next man up.\u201d<\/p>\n The return of State of Origin trio Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow \u2013 who has been nursing an ankle injury picked up playing for Queensland \u2013 Selwyn Cobbo and Jack Bostock will be a timely boost, particularly after fullback Fuller was caught out of position on two kicks for Cronulla tries.<\/p>\n While he could be forgiven for the first, seen blistering to get to the Braydon Trindall kick only to be beaten by KL Iro, he was out of the picture for the second as Will Kennedy found Ramien.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Tabuai-Fidow has developed a strong instinct on where to position himself, and Kaufusi believed the injection of the Origin stars would deliver a telling boost.<\/p>\n \u201cThe confidence just goes to another level being around that environment and arena. What they bring back is even better for us,\u201d Kaufusi said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe get a bit of a boost knowing they\u2019re back playing with us.\u201d<\/p>\n Start the day with a summary of the day\u2019s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter<\/a>.<\/p>\n Save<\/p>\n You have reached your maximum number of saved items.<\/p>\n![\"Hamiso](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1784059035_84_17bd1f7ed43edf1bff22fd0b09e0b237ebf7e44edc73e7c0471d5dc71b40719e.gif\")
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