Dolphins overcome loss of star centre to take thriller
The Dolphins looked down and out at Auckland's Go Media Stadium in their Friday night clash, trailing 18-16 with just over two minutes remaining.
But they earned a penalty 35 metres out and opted against going for a score-levelling kick, instead chasing a match-winning try.
It paid off, with the Dolphins scoring on the final tackle in the 79th minute, with Jeremy Marshall-King sending a long ball out for winger Jamayne Isaako to score to snatch the win from the heart-broken Warriors.
It's a massive boost for the Dolphins, who were in eighth spot heading into round 22, and are looking to keep Manly and the Sydney Roosters at bay.
It appeared the Dolphins' night would end in misery, with strike centre Herbie Farnworth assisted from the field with a hamstring injury
The England international, who has been the Dolphins' most consistent performer in 2025, opened the scoring in the fourth minute, crossing for his 12th try of season.
But tragedy struck soon after when the 25-year-old made a break and was charging downfield, only to crash to the turf clutching at his hamstring.
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'He'll play for Australia': Stuart's not-so Strange tip
In an extraordinary show of support, Ricky Stuart is tipping "Laurie Daley-like" sensation Ethan Strange to wear the troublesome NSW State of Origin No.6 jumper in 2026. Unknown to most NRL fans before the season's start, Strange bagged a spectacular try-scoring hat-trick in Friday night's 28-12 win over Manly to lead the Raiders back to the top of the NRL ladder. But it wasn't merely the tries, but more the manner in which he scored them - and when - that drew lavish praise from his veteran coach. After collecting Canberra's opening try in the 10th minute, Strange took the game by the scruff off the neck when the Raiders found themselves behind on the scoreboard midway through the second half. First he took on and beat the Manly defence to storm over in the 54th minute. Then Strange skilfully reeled in an audacious flick pass from coach Stuart's son Jed down the left wing to realistically put the game beyond Manly's reach. "He's got qualities of a representative player already as a young person, and I don't say that outlandishly," Stuart said. "For a young player such as Ethan to be able to give off energy to his teammates is similar to Laurie Daley when Laurie was a young player." With a favourable run home, Canberra are fast firming to claim their first premiership since Stuart and Daley were at the forefront of the legendary Green Machine that won three between 1989 and 1994. But Stuart is predicting even greater honours for Strange - and doesn't mind sharing his thoughts. "I've got a very strong opinion of where he's going to go as a player," the former Blues coach and premiership-winning mentor said. "You look at his game today to where he started with us a year and a half, two years ago, 25, 30 games into his career. "He's got an unbelievable future. I think he'll play for Australia this year and he'll be our next five-eighth for NSW. "And I don't sit here gloating. 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"He's got qualities of a representative player already as a young person, and I don't say that outlandishly," Stuart said. "For a young player such as Ethan to be able to give off energy to his teammates is similar to Laurie Daley when Laurie was a young player." With a favourable run home, Canberra are fast firming to claim their first premiership since Stuart and Daley were at the forefront of the legendary Green Machine that won three between 1989 and 1994. But Stuart is predicting even greater honours for Strange - and doesn't mind sharing his thoughts. "I've got a very strong opinion of where he's going to go as a player," the former Blues coach and premiership-winning mentor said. "You look at his game today to where he started with us a year and a half, two years ago, 25, 30 games into his career. "He's got an unbelievable future. I think he'll play for Australia this year and he'll be our next five-eighth for NSW. "And I don't sit here gloating. I don't sit here as a happy coach saying that. I firmly believe that. "He's got Origin attitude the way he defends, the way he runs the football. "He's got qualities of a representative player already as a young person and, as I say, I don't say that outlandishly." Stuart said he was unconcerned about placing such heady expectations on the young super talent. "I know I'm talking about big shoes to fill and (people will say), 'You're putting too much pressure on Ethan'. Bad luck, he'll handle it,'' the coach said. "If you're ever going to make it in this game, you've got to handle pressure, and he will." Raiders captain Joseph Tapine agrees Strange is something special. "He's strong as well," Tapine said. "And he's still young in his communication stage as well. When he starts to come out of his shell and open up and starts talking a bit more, it's going to go to another level. "So it's impressive where he is at the moment, but exciting where he can get to soon." In an extraordinary show of support, Ricky Stuart is tipping "Laurie Daley-like" sensation Ethan Strange to wear the troublesome NSW State of Origin No.6 jumper in 2026. Unknown to most NRL fans before the season's start, Strange bagged a spectacular try-scoring hat-trick in Friday night's 28-12 win over Manly to lead the Raiders back to the top of the NRL ladder. But it wasn't merely the tries, but more the manner in which he scored them - and when - that drew lavish praise from his veteran coach. After collecting Canberra's opening try in the 10th minute, Strange took the game by the scruff off the neck when the Raiders found themselves behind on the scoreboard midway through the second half. First he took on and beat the Manly defence to storm over in the 54th minute. Then Strange skilfully reeled in an audacious flick pass from coach Stuart's son Jed down the left wing to realistically put the game beyond Manly's reach. "He's got qualities of a representative player already as a young person, and I don't say that outlandishly," Stuart said. "For a young player such as Ethan to be able to give off energy to his teammates is similar to Laurie Daley when Laurie was a young player." With a favourable run home, Canberra are fast firming to claim their first premiership since Stuart and Daley were at the forefront of the legendary Green Machine that won three between 1989 and 1994. But Stuart is predicting even greater honours for Strange - and doesn't mind sharing his thoughts. "I've got a very strong opinion of where he's going to go as a player," the former Blues coach and premiership-winning mentor said. "You look at his game today to where he started with us a year and a half, two years ago, 25, 30 games into his career. "He's got an unbelievable future. I think he'll play for Australia this year and he'll be our next five-eighth for NSW. "And I don't sit here gloating. I don't sit here as a happy coach saying that. I firmly believe that. "He's got Origin attitude the way he defends, the way he runs the football. "He's got qualities of a representative player already as a young person and, as I say, I don't say that outlandishly." Stuart said he was unconcerned about placing such heady expectations on the young super talent. "I know I'm talking about big shoes to fill and (people will say), 'You're putting too much pressure on Ethan'. Bad luck, he'll handle it,'' the coach said. "If you're ever going to make it in this game, you've got to handle pressure, and he will." Raiders captain Joseph Tapine agrees Strange is something special. "He's strong as well," Tapine said. "And he's still young in his communication stage as well. When he starts to come out of his shell and open up and starts talking a bit more, it's going to go to another level. "So it's impressive where he is at the moment, but exciting where he can get to soon."
