Dolphins nab win over lacklustre Dragons

Dolphins winger Jamayne Isaako marked his 100th NRL game with 18 points to his name to help his team take down the Dragons 26-12 at their Redcliffe ground Kayo Stadium in round 13 of competition on Thursday night (May 25).

Most of the damage came in a six-minute period midway through the first half, during which time the Dolphins scored 18 unanswered points to set up a 18-12 half-time lead, which they never looked back from. 

Early on it looked like the match could go either way when the Dragons kicked a penalty goal and crossed the try line to take the initial lead.

A determined effort from Isaako to grab a high ball and fight his way over the line was followed by an untouched try for prop Mark Nicholls and another four points from five-eighth Anthony Milford. 

The Dolphins just kept the ball rolling as the Dragons struggled to make ground. Isaako secured his second try early in the second half, showing fierce determination to make his 100th game a memorable one. Isaako put the end result beyond doubt with a penalty goal three minutes from full-time and cementing a spot in the top eight for the competition newbies, while the struggling Dragons have sunk to the bottom.

Isaako also extended his lead as the NRL's top points-scorer this season with two tries and five goals.

The game wasn’t without some questionable action when a “forceful contact around the knee” during a tackle on Dolphins lock Ray Stone, saw Dragons Jack de Belin sent to the sin bin.

The last time these two teams met back in round five, it was a very different result with the Dragons taking home the win 38-12. It seemed the hunger was there for the Dolphins this time, determined not to let their home base fans down!

The latest win for the Dolphins tops off a few weeks of mixed results after going down to the Storm 24-16 in round 12, a bye in round 11 and a smashing result against the Sharks in round 10, finishing up victorious 36-16.

The Dolphins are heading across “The Ditch” for the first time, to take on the Warriors in Auckland on Saturday June 3. With the game taking place just three days after State of Origin Game 1, only time will tell if Maroon reps Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and Tom Gilbert will back it up to hit the field in the round 14 match.

Upcoming matches:

Round 15 (Friday June 9) – Dolphins V Manly Sea Eagles at 4 Pines Park, Sydney

Round 16 – Bye

Round 17 (Saturday June 24) – Dolphins V Paramatta Eels at Sunshine Coast Stadium

Round 18 (Saturday July 1) – The local grudge match, Dolphins V Broncos at The Gabba, Brisbane.