In what will go down as 2024's craziest NRL match, the Dolphins have won a golden point thriller over Warriors in a classic game of football at Suncorp Stadium.
As the forward battle was starting to wane, due in large part to the stagnant Warriors goal-line attack. The Dolphins capitalised on field position and scored the first try. It took a beautiful grubber kick from Kodi Nikorima to leave Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad on ice-skates, and it was Felise Kaufusi grounded the ball first. Jamayne Isaako continued his streak of 23 straight conversions for a 6-0 lead inside the opening 10.
With their finals hopes on life support, the Warriors were trying every trick possible, and they were frustrating the Dolphins until it came unstuck after 17 minutes. A cross-field kick from Chanel Harris-Tavita was batted back by Nicoll-Klokstad, unfortunately, it was scooped up by Max Plath who offloaded to Herbie Farnworth and raced the best part of 85 metres to score the Dolphins second. The visitors were rewarded for their relentless attacking kicks just minutes later, it was a good high bomb from Te Maire Martin and Edward Kosi flies high over Isaako to take the football. Kosi still had work to do and runs over the top of Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow to get the Warriors back in it.
The game developed into a stale-mate until some contentious decisions gave the Dolphins momentum. A over the shoulders tackle by Roger Tuivasa-Sheck was judged to be high, replays showed zero high contact from RTS. Isaako knocked over a penalty goal to extend the margin to two scores. From the next set, Jake Averillo put on a move and got his way through some pedestrian defence breaking away over half-way. He found Nikorima in support for a vital try to make it 20-6. Mark Nicholls left the game in awful discomfort late in the half, but the bunker found shoulder contact to the head by Dylan Walker and dispatched him to the sin-bin to leave the Wahs down to 12. The score remained 20-6 at the change of ends.
New Zealand started the second half well with sustained field position. Three minutes after the break, a brilliant kick from Martin was well chased by Kurt Capewell and he has grounded the ball inside the field of play. Harris-Tavita converted to make it an 8 point game. The Phins thought they established their HT lead back but it was denied after TPJ stopped in the defensive line.
A Mitch Barnett error gave the Dolphins much needed field position. The home side capitalised in the resulting set as Nikorima delivered a magical pass for Farnworth's second try of the contest. Isaako's conversion attempt made it 27 straight for the winger and the gap was back to a comfortable 14 points. It was soon the Warriors turn to capitalise on an opposition error after Plath couldn't handle the hospital pass from Averillo. On the attack, the Warriors passed it out the back which caused all sorts of defensive chaos for Nikorima and the right edge of the Dolphins, fortunately for the visitors, Ali Leiataua was on the spot to pick the ball up and score.
The Dolphins second half demons continued to appear. This time, an Isaiya Katoa kick sailed over the touchline on the full, giving the Warriors plenty of attacking chances. A clever Martin kick failed to be recovered by Oryn Keeley in the contest with CNK, Te Maire Martin was there to scoop it and it is back to a one possession game.
Leiataua broke through into space and was brought down 10 away from the Warriors line, Nicoll-Klokstad went down the short-side and got it back to the young centre and he lost control with the line wide-open. Fortunately, the Phins were off-side. From the tap kick, Harris-Tavita caused chaos, stepping past several defenders. He got a miracle offload to Wayde Egan who found Sifakula to cross.
Both sides had great difficulty completing a set in the last ten minutes. However, with five to go the Warriors went for glory. A clever grubber saw Mitch Barnett chase the ball, he just missed grounding the ball. However, the bunker and Wyatt Raymond correctly ruled a penalty try after Nikorima jagged back the front-rower. It was 32-32 at full-time.
Golden point continued the tradition of hitup set into field goal. Both sides had shots, but it was Sean O'Sullivan who delivered the SOS off the bench to nail it from beyond the 40m line to secure victory for the Dolphins in a classic game of football.