Reboot of the superboot: How Dolphins saved Isaako

West Australian

2 days ago

The transformation of Jamayne Isaako's career in the last three years is one of the great comeback stories of the NRL.
At the end of the 2022 season, when the Dolphins' points-scoring whiz left the Gold Coast, he wondered if his career was over.
Now the 28-year-old is one of the first picked for the Dolphins and wants to extend his contract and finish his career at the club that gave him a lifeline.
The dashing winger and goal kicker extraordinaire is the only Dolphin to have played every game since their inception in 2023.
Against St George Illawarra on Friday night he will play his 61st consecutive match for the club that transformed a career that was in tatters at the end of 2022.
"It didn't go too great over at the Titans and I remember at the back end of that year, I wasn't too sure whether or not I still even wanted to play footy," Isaako said.
"But coming to the club and being under great coaches such as Woolfy (Kristian Woolf) and obviously Wayne (Bennett), being the inaugural coach to start that first year, I think really helped me in terms of turning my career around and just being able to play some consistent footy."
There are players in the NRL known as "Wayne's men", footballers who only shine when Bennett is coaching them.
Isaako was Dally M rookie of the year under Bennett at the Broncos in 2018 and in 2023, when coached by Bennett at the Dolphins, he was club player of the year and the NRL's leading point scorer.
Isaako, second on the NRL leading points scorer list for 2025, has shown under Woolf that he can thrive without Bennett
"Woolfy's a good coach and he's been here since the start, so he's obviously played a big part in me being able to turn my career around, coming to the Dolphins," he said.
"Wayne's had a hand to play in that too ... and I think it probably comes down to a little bit more experience and being a little bit more of an old head in the team."
Few players keep themselves in as good shape as Isaako, another reason for his endurance.
"I do pride myself on getting my body right," he said.
"The routine and preparation heading into games, professionalism around recovery and just doing everything you possibly can to be at your best come game day.
"That's been something that I've really sort of knuckled down to in the last couple of years and it's obviously given me the opportunity to be able to play every single game for the club."
Isaako has scored 579 points in his 60 games for the Dolphins. Off-contract at the end of 2026 he will surely pass 1000 if he gets his wish to extend his deal.
"I'd love to stay here and hopefully try and finish my career here at the Dolphins," he said.
"I'll have to talk to (CEO) Terry (Reader) and a couple of the recruitment officers about hopefully trying to lock down a couple more years here."