Jack Bostock scores four tries as Dolphins run riot in demolition of Cowboys
The Dolphins have surged to sixth position on the NRL ladder, with four tries to winger Jack Bostock and another masterclass by halves Kodi Nikorima and Isaiya Katoa firing a 58-4 thrashing of North Queensland.
Four-try hero Bostock, who will surely represent NSW in the future, ensured the Dolphins entered the stratosphere for attacking football and defensive resolve in sequence.
The ruthless Dolphins became just the sixth side in premiership history to win three consecutive games by at least 36 points after a 56-6 win over St George Illawarra and 44-8 victory over Canterbury.
Former Cowboys centre Brent Tate said on Fox League it was 'one of the worst' performances by the club he has seen, despite them missing four State of Origin stars.
The Dolphins have won seven of their past 10 matches and are clearly the best-coached and performed side of all the Queensland teams.
With their four best forwards out for the season, the response of the side from a 0-4 start to the campaign has been nothing short of extraordinary under coach Kristian Woolf.
Their oldest forwards Felise Kaufusi, 33, and Mark Nicholls, 35, led the pack up front in Townsville on Saturday with gusto and grunt.
Nikorima has been the unsung hero of the Dolphins' resurgence.
Katoa, with the most try assists this season, has got all the raps and rightly so, but his veteran partner has been a linchpin figure.
Both were electric against the Cowboys, who have won just one of their past six games.
The Cowboys suffered a major blow in the warm-up when star forward Jason Taumalolo withdrew with a concern over an injured calf that had kept him out of action since round nine.
Bostock scored early before Kaufusi was binned for a high shot on Cowboys replacement half Tom Duffy, minutes after stand-in captain Scott Drinkwater was also hit high. Both Cowboys went off for HIAs.
Down to 12 men, the Dolphins were far too classy for the Cowboys, with Nikorima and Katoa creating a second try for Bostock.
Katoa sliced through to put rampaging back-rower Oryn Keeley over under the sticks for a 16-0 lead.
The Cowboys caught out the Dolphins on the short side with a slick move from Drinkwater to put winger Murray Taulagi over in the corner, but that was their only joy.
Dolphins utility Kurt Donoghoe scored on the cusp of halftime for the Dolphins to lead 22-4 at the break.
From there it was all the Dolphins, with Bostock, outstanding fill-in fullback Jake Averillo, devastating centre Herbie Farnworth, tough-as-teak Ray Stone and Nikorima all continuing the try-scoring extravaganza.
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"We have got a great ability as a team to score points," Dolphins coach Kristian Woolf said. "The halves love playing together, but I also know that when we are defending really well that is when we are at our best. "We have got to make sure that we keep turning up and working hard and that we don't let a couple of wins weaken us ... and all of a sudden we get our pants pulled down." Former Cowboys centre Brent Tate said on Fox League it was "one of the worst" performances by the club he had seen, despite them missing four State of Origin stars. "It was a tough night," Cowboys coach Todd Payten said. The Dolphins have won seven of their past 10 matches and are clearly the best-coached and performed side of all the Queensland teams. With their four best forwards out for the season, the response of the side after a 0-4 start to the campaign has been nothing short of extraordinary under Woolf. Their oldest forwards Felise Kaufusi, 33, and Mark Nicholls, 35, led the pack up front in Townsville on Saturday with gusto and grunt. Nikorima has been the unsung hero of the Dolphins' resurgence. Katoa, with the most try assists this season, has got all the wraps and rightly so, but his veteran partner has been a linchpin figure. Both were electric against the Cowboys, who have won just one of their past six games. The Cowboys suffered a major blow in the warm-up when star forward Jason Taumalolo withdrew with a concern over an injured calf that had kept him out of action since round nine. Bostock scored early before Kaufusi was binned for a high shot on Cowboys replacement half Tom Duffy, minutes after stand-in captain Scott Drinkwater was also hit high. Both Cowboys went off for HIAs. Down to 12 men, the Dolphins were far too classy for the Cowboys, with Nikorima and Katoa creating a second try for Bostock. 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The losing 54-point margin for the Cowboys was the worst in their history at home. The ruthless Dolphins became just the sixth side in premiership history to win three consecutive games by at least 36 points after a 56-6 win over St George Illawarra and a 44-8 victory against Canterbury. "We have got a great ability as a team to score points," Dolphins coach Kristian Woolf said. "The halves love playing together, but I also know that when we are defending really well that is when we are at our best. "We have got to make sure that we keep turning up and working hard and that we don't let a couple of wins weaken us ... and all of a sudden we get our pants pulled down." Former Cowboys centre Brent Tate said on Fox League it was "one of the worst" performances by the club he had seen, despite them missing four State of Origin stars. "It was a tough night," Cowboys coach Todd Payten said. 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"I haven't done any butterfly training just yet so I'm excited to be able to go to that leading into the next Olympics." The 10 rookies on Australia's swim team for the world titles are being urged to mine a golden generation's expertise while they can. Dolphins hierarchy have selected a 40-strong team for the world championships in Singapore starting July 27. The team was settled on Saturday night moments after Lani Pallister broke a 10-year-old Commonwealth record in the last race of the selection trials in Adelaide. Pallister won the women's 1500m freestyle in 15 minutes 39.14 seconds, one second inside the previous Commonwealth benchmark set by New Zealander Lauren Boyle in 2015. Pallister was the standout swimmer of the meet, also breaking Ariarne Titmus' Australian record in the 800m freestyle and dipping under four minutes for the first time to win the 400m free. "It has been a good week ... it has shown what I can do," Pallister said. Australia's team is book-ended in age by 16-year-old Sienna Toohey and 31-year-old Cam McEvoy, who will race at an astonishing seventh world championships. Toohey is among the Dolphins' debutants being told by Swimming Australia's head coach Rohan Taylor to pick the brains - and study the methods - of their battle-hardened teammates. Taylor was reluctant to compare the strength of the fresh Dolphins pod to previous teams. "All I can compare is the type of athlete we have on the team - they're just competitive," Taylor told AAP. "They hate losing more than they they like winning, I think. "There's just a certain character; we have got an abundance of them. "What you have with Kaylee (McKeown), Mollie (O'Callaghan), Kyle (Chalmers) is super-competitive and they're infectious to the team. "So while we have them, we want to grow the others to learn how to be like that." Taylor was impressed with how the emerging swimmers thrived under the stress of selection trials. "You can't create that kind of pressure and expectation on someone before it actually happens," he said. "There's one thing to see them progressing ... what is pleasing is the ability to actually deliver. That is really a skill and that's the skill we look for. "Now it's going to an international meet, can you repeat your performances? That is the next step for these guys." Other swimmers securing selection on Saturday night included Paris Olympic 50m freestyle silver medallist Meg Harris. The 23-year-old won the one-lap dash in 24.17 seconds after dropping out of the 100m free following a heat swim. "I did so well last year in the 50, I want to see if I have any more potential in that," Harris said. And Kyle Chalmers' stunning form continued by equalling his personal best in the 50m butterfly, winning in 22.89. Chalmers is unlikely to swim the event at the worlds given it's scheduled on the same day as the 4x100m freestyle relay. "I'm always going to put the team first before my individual races," Chalmers said. "I haven't done any butterfly training just yet so I'm excited to be able to go to that leading into the next Olympics." The 10 rookies on Australia's swim team for the world titles are being urged to mine a golden generation's expertise while they can. Dolphins hierarchy have selected a 40-strong team for the world championships in Singapore starting July 27. The team was settled on Saturday night moments after Lani Pallister broke a 10-year-old Commonwealth record in the last race of the selection trials in Adelaide. Pallister won the women's 1500m freestyle in 15 minutes 39.14 seconds, one second inside the previous Commonwealth benchmark set by New Zealander Lauren Boyle in 2015. Pallister was the standout swimmer of the meet, also breaking Ariarne Titmus' Australian record in the 800m freestyle and dipping under four minutes for the first time to win the 400m free. "It has been a good week ... it has shown what I can do," Pallister said. Australia's team is book-ended in age by 16-year-old Sienna Toohey and 31-year-old Cam McEvoy, who will race at an astonishing seventh world championships. Toohey is among the Dolphins' debutants being told by Swimming Australia's head coach Rohan Taylor to pick the brains - and study the methods - of their battle-hardened teammates. Taylor was reluctant to compare the strength of the fresh Dolphins pod to previous teams. "All I can compare is the type of athlete we have on the team - they're just competitive," Taylor told AAP. "They hate losing more than they they like winning, I think. "There's just a certain character; we have got an abundance of them. "What you have with Kaylee (McKeown), Mollie (O'Callaghan), Kyle (Chalmers) is super-competitive and they're infectious to the team. "So while we have them, we want to grow the others to learn how to be like that." Taylor was impressed with how the emerging swimmers thrived under the stress of selection trials. "You can't create that kind of pressure and expectation on someone before it actually happens," he said. "There's one thing to see them progressing ... what is pleasing is the ability to actually deliver. That is really a skill and that's the skill we look for. "Now it's going to an international meet, can you repeat your performances? That is the next step for these guys." Other swimmers securing selection on Saturday night included Paris Olympic 50m freestyle silver medallist Meg Harris. The 23-year-old won the one-lap dash in 24.17 seconds after dropping out of the 100m free following a heat swim. "I did so well last year in the 50, I want to see if I have any more potential in that," Harris said. And Kyle Chalmers' stunning form continued by equalling his personal best in the 50m butterfly, winning in 22.89. Chalmers is unlikely to swim the event at the worlds given it's scheduled on the same day as the 4x100m freestyle relay. "I'm always going to put the team first before my individual races," Chalmers said. "I haven't done any butterfly training just yet so I'm excited to be able to go to that leading into the next Olympics."
