Dolphins get star hooker back but forwards sidelined
After losing four hookers to injury and suspension last week the return of star rake Jeremy Marshall-King from a nasty leg gash couldn't have come at a better time for the Dolphins.
There was less good news ahead of their showdown with the Sydney Roosters in the NRL Magic Round on Friday night with prop Daniel Saifiti (shoulder) and lock Max Plath (foot) out of the match.
Prop Felise Kaufusi (knee) is in the side after a two-week absence and will be given until captain's run to prove his fitness while utility Kurt Donoghoe returns from a calf strain after missing one match.
The Dolphins had to rearrange the deck chairs in the 40-28 loss to Canberra last week after four of their hookers/utilities were absent.
On top of Marshall-King, Plath and Donoghoe being injured, they had top-30 squad hooker Harrison Graham suspended in the Queensland Cup and also unavailable.
Although Ray Stone and Sean O'Sullivan did their best sharing the role against the Raiders, it was the smarts of Marshall-King at key moments that they lacked.
The Dolphins led 28-10 at half-time against the Raiders on the back of what Saifiti offered up front but when he went off in the 29th minute the forward rotation was thrown out of sync.
Coach Kristian Woolf said after the match the former Newcastle front-rower had been the side's best player this year and his one to two week absence would be felt.
Kaufusi won the Artie Legacy Medal, in honour of the late Arthur Beetson, in the club's inaugural match against the Roosters and the Dolphins will be sweating on the former State of Origin enforcer's return this week.
"Marshall-King, Kaufusi and Donoghoe are all in line to play in Magic Round, and we will know more as we watch how Saifiti's injury settles down over the next week," Dolphins head of performance Jeremy Hickmans said.
Plath injured a foot a fortnight ago against Melbourne and despite being initially named last week he is still in rehab and unable to take the field.
The Roosters and Dolphins have both started the season 3-5 and are two points outside the top eight.
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