\n
\n
\n
![\"Max](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/plathm-injury-250606_sd_4908.jpg\"\/)
\n
\n
\n Max Plath ruptured his ACL and injured his MCL in Round 14 against the Dragons in 2025.
\n \u00a9Scott Davis \/ NRL Images
\n
\n <\/p>\n
The prospect of the Dolphins fielding a fully fit side come Round 1 has their forwards fired up and ready to fight for a place in Kristian Woolf\u2019s best 17.<\/p>\n
Newly re-signed Connelly Lemuelu is determined to claim a starting spot while 2024 Arthur Beetson Medal winner Max Plath is on the comeback trail after undergoing ACL surgery six months ago.<\/p>\n
With captain Tom Gilbert, Origin reps Thomas Flegler and Daniel Saifiti and internationals Jeremy Marshall-King and Francis Molo on track for Round 1, as well as the arrival of Englishman Morgan Knowles, the club\u2019s forward stocks are bursting.<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n Max Plath ruptured his ACL and injured his MCL in Round 14 against the Dragons in 2025.
\n \u00a9Scott Davis \/ NRL Images
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cDefinitely (it will be hard to return to the team). I’m very much a realist in that sort of sense,\u201d Plath said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe’ve got some really good forwards and no-one has rights to any jersey whatsoever, so it’s going to be a big motivation for me to try and get back into that team.<\/p>\n
\u201cI’m a realist and Woolfy will name the best 17, so if I can just put my hand up and try and improve my game, hopefully I can get back in.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n 599″, “>809”, “>959″]”
\n data-eqio-prefix=”video-post-screen”
\n ref=”root”
\n ><\/p>\n
\n
\n Up Next
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
\n
\n \/
\n
\n <\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n Replay
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n Play Next
\n
\n
\n <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Flegler making a play for Round 1<\/p>\n
The emergence of the versatile Kurt Donoghoe has also made Plath\u2019s aim of fitting into the side even more challenging.<\/p>\n
\u201cI’ve always thought from since I’ve met Kurt that he’s a sensational player and whatever position he could play, he could absolutely brain it,\u201d Plath said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI’ve said this a couple of times to some of the boys, but I’d much rather be the worst player in a winning team than being the best player in a losing team.<\/p>\n
\u201cWinning’s everything for me and if that’s Kurt’s position, that’s Kurt’s position.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can figure out another way to help the team win, so, it’s more so about having a really good team together and winning footy games.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lemuelu, who scored nine tries in 20 games last year, has provided plenty of impact on the edge but made no secret of the fact he was keen to start.<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n ![\"Connelly](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/lemueluc-try-celebration-250410_cd_0667.jpg\"\/)
\n
\n
\n Connelly Lemuelu on his way to scoring a try.
\n \u00a9Chloe Davis \/ NRL Images
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cI came off the bench [in 17 of 20 games] in 2025 and I’m pushing for that starting spot this year,\u201d Lemuelu said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI’ve made it a goal of mine to be an elite back-rower and hopefully I can use this year to do that and become a starter.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen hopefully we’ll go from there and get to extend my time a bit longer.<\/p>\n
\u201c(My game has) developed a lot (since coming to the Dolphins). I was obviously a fringe first-grader up at the Cowboys before I moved down and since coming here, I feel like I’ve established myself as an NRL player.<\/p>\n
\u201cI’m approaching 100 games this year, so fingers crossed I get to knock that milestone off, but we’ve had good people with Wayne and Woolfy, so just learning a lot and hoping to be better every year.<\/p>\n
\u201cI obviously have got to be fitter, work on my defence. I feel like my attack sort of comes naturally, so just get my fitness right and get my defensive side of my game right and that’ll put me in good stead.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe’ve got a good squad, our top 30’s very strong.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith the boys who’ve had long-term injuries coming back, the likes of Flegler, Gilbert, it definitely makes it a bit harder.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut that just pushes everyone to be better and to be at their best, so competition’s always a good thing for these sides and pushing towards playing September footy.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The prospect of the Dolphins fielding a fully fit side come Round 1 has their forwards fired up…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":190027,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[111,139,69,213],"class_list":{"0":"post-190026","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports","8":"tag-new-zealand","9":"tag-newzealand","10":"tag-nz","11":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/190026","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=190026"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/190026\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/190027"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=190026"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=190026"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=190026"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}