Have the Dolphins brain trust and master coach Wayne Bennett blundered by coming into 2024 with a Dad's Army pack? The Dolphins were massive over-achievers early in their maiden season last year before running out of gas badly in the run to the finals. And they started the new year disastrously, thumped by the Cowboys 43-18 on Sunday afternoon. Four members of the Dolphins pack are over 30 - Jesse Bromwich (34), Felise Kaufusi (31), Kenny Bromwich (32) and Mark Nicholls (34) as well as 18th man Jarrod Wallace (32). Despite some fine signings over the summer, the Dolphins were simply run off their feet by their younger Cowboys opponents in the Brisbane heat in a one-sided affair. With a long season ahead, the ageing Dolphins pack may find the going very tough in coming months… time will tell. The Cowboys - such a bitter disappointment last season - bounced right back to their 2022 form in decimating the Dolphins. And one of the main reasons for the turnaround may well be the return of classy back-rower Jeremiah Nanai. The lanky forward - a guy who has genuine X-factor to him - missed a lot of games last year and the Cowboys suffered. The 21-year-old Kiwi played just 13 games last year and gave fans a reminder of his class against the Dolphins, scoring one try and laying on another in the big win. His presence gives the Cowboys' pack a much more menacing look and they look set for plenty of wins in the coming months.
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