Latest news with #Plath
West Australian
3 days ago
- Sport
- West Australian
Star duo return for Dolphins, but Stone ruled out
The Dolphins welcome back two key forwards as they take on St George Illawarra with the chance to enter the NRL top eight for the first time. Starting hooker Jeremy Marshall-King returns from a thigh laceration and infection that led to him spending time in hospital, while lock Max Plath is back from a foot injury and is likely to start on the bench in Friday night's clash at Suncorp Stadium. Tough-as-teak forward Ray Stone has bravely carried a shoulder injury into battle with the team down on troops, but he has been rested to give the issue more time to heal. Marshall-King suffered a deep gash to his leg in round six and took the field in round nine, but the wound became aggravated. "He's ready to go," coach Kristian Woolf said. "It's been a long time, but I don't think people realised how serious it was and how big the cut was. "It was just the seriousness of the infection as well. He did a couple of stints in hospital on the IV drip and getting it flushed out. "It's great to have him back. If you look at the last couple of years we haven't won a lot of games without Jeremy. "I've been happy with the group over the last couple of weeks because we've started to learn how to do that." Plath, last season's player of the year, injured a foot in round seven against Melbourne, which has also taken longer to heal than first thought. The 23-year-old was in the frame to make his Queensland debut in game one of the State of Origin series before injury struck. That would appear unlikely in the short term until he gets some footy under his belt, but Woolf said a Maroons jersey was within Plath's grasp. "(The injury) ended up being a lot more serious that we thought it was," the coach said. "He is coming into this having not done a hell of a lot until the last couple of weeks. "We're very confident in what he's going to be able to do for the team. He'll be on limited minutes. "I've got no doubt he's a guy that will feature in the Origin frame at some stage. "It's probably too early to be talking about that now. He needs to get a couple of games under his belt." The Dolphins lost their opening four matches of the season but have recovered well to be on 12 points, just two behind the Dragons, who are in the eight. "We're under no illusions at all," Woolf said. "I know guys like (centre) Moses Suli really well and how dangerous he is. He's a strike player on the edge. "(Second-rower) Luciano Leilua is the same. They have a physical pack and experience with guys like Clint Gutherson and Damien Cook. "They're as dangerous as any team in the comp and we have to bring our best game."
Perth Now
3 days ago
- Sport
- Perth Now
Star duo return for Dolphins, but Stone ruled out
The Dolphins welcome back two key forwards as they take on St George Illawarra with the chance to enter the NRL top eight for the first time. Starting hooker Jeremy Marshall-King returns from a thigh laceration and infection that led to him spending time in hospital, while lock Max Plath is back from a foot injury and is likely to start on the bench in Friday night's clash at Suncorp Stadium. Tough-as-teak forward Ray Stone has bravely carried a shoulder injury into battle with the team down on troops, but he has been rested to give the issue more time to heal. Marshall-King suffered a deep gash to his leg in round six and took the field in round nine, but the wound became aggravated. "He's ready to go," coach Kristian Woolf said. "It's been a long time, but I don't think people realised how serious it was and how big the cut was. "It was just the seriousness of the infection as well. He did a couple of stints in hospital on the IV drip and getting it flushed out. "It's great to have him back. If you look at the last couple of years we haven't won a lot of games without Jeremy. "I've been happy with the group over the last couple of weeks because we've started to learn how to do that." Plath, last season's player of the year, injured a foot in round seven against Melbourne, which has also taken longer to heal than first thought. The 23-year-old was in the frame to make his Queensland debut in game one of the State of Origin series before injury struck. That would appear unlikely in the short term until he gets some footy under his belt, but Woolf said a Maroons jersey was within Plath's grasp. "(The injury) ended up being a lot more serious that we thought it was," the coach said. "He is coming into this having not done a hell of a lot until the last couple of weeks. "We're very confident in what he's going to be able to do for the team. He'll be on limited minutes. "I've got no doubt he's a guy that will feature in the Origin frame at some stage. "It's probably too early to be talking about that now. He needs to get a couple of games under his belt." The Dolphins lost their opening four matches of the season but have recovered well to be on 12 points, just two behind the Dragons, who are in the eight. "We're under no illusions at all," Woolf said. "I know guys like (centre) Moses Suli really well and how dangerous he is. He's a strike player on the edge. "(Second-rower) Luciano Leilua is the same. They have a physical pack and experience with guys like Clint Gutherson and Damien Cook. "They're as dangerous as any team in the comp and we have to bring our best game."
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Surgery for Dolphins' Plath damages lock's Origin hopes
Dolphins forward Max Plath has gone under the knife with foot surgery set to keep him out of action for up to a month. The 23-year-old missed the 36-26 loss to Sydney Roosters on Friday night but Kristian Woolf confirmed post-match the injury was more serious than first thought after Plath left the field in the 42-22 win over Melbourne on Good Friday. "Max ended up with a minor surgery so he will be out for three or four weeks," Woolf said. Watch all the highlights as the Roosters take on the Dolphins in Round 9!#NRLRoostersDolphins — NRL (@NRL) May 2, 2025 There was better news on prop Feliise Kaufusi (knee) and utility Kurt Donoghoe (calf), who also were unavailable against the Roosters. Woolf said both were likely to return for Thursday night's away clash with Parramatta. Plath had been in the frame for a State of Orgin debut for Queensland on May 28 after coach Billy Slater told AAP he was impressed with the versatile utility. Slater said Plath was building habits in his game that were "Origin worthy". That is why the Dolphins have missed his presence the last two games when they were exposed in the forwards. "What I was disappointed with the most is I don't think we defended to our standards," Woolf said. The Dolphins lost their opening three games of the season, won the next three and lost the following two. "We do need to get rolling again," Woolf said. "We rolled really well there for three weeks and, for whatever reason, things have changed. We need to figure out why they have changed and what we have got to change." The Dolphins have started the season 3-6 and can only lose another six games maximum in their next 15 or miss out on finals. Captain Tom Gilbert was blunt about his team's performance against the Roosters., which followed a 40-28 capitulation to Canberra after the Dolphins led 28-10 at halftime. "The Roosters came in with a tough mindset. In patches we showed that we do have a tough mindset but we didn't want to do that consistently," he said. "It is definitely something we need to address and is not something as a captain, or a teammate, that we want to see again this season."
Perth Now
29-04-2025
- Sport
- Perth Now
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.
Perth Now
22-04-2025
- Sport
- Perth Now
Double injury blow for Dolphins, Molo in frame
The Dolphins will be without key forwards Felise Kaufusi and Jeremy Marshall-King for the away trip to Canberra. There was better news on versatile forward Max Plath, who suffered a foot ligament injury in the 42-22 win over Melbourne on Friday night. Plath is rated a chance of playing against the Raiders on Sunday. Prop forward Kaufusi, who sustained a medial ligament strain against the Storm, may only miss the one week. Hooker Marshall-King has not scrubbed up after a nasty gash to his thigh in the round-six win over Penrith got infected. "We really want to make sure Jeremy's cut heals properly before he does anything, so the best way to look after him is to give him another week's break," Dolphins performance chief Jeremy Hickmans said. "Felise is in a brace at this point but if all goes according to plan he could play against the Roosters (in round nine). "Plath has a foot ligament injury, but with some luck and the long turnaround into the game, he could take the field against the Raiders." The injury to Kaufusi has opened the door for former St George Illawarra prop Frank Molo to make his club debut. Molo has been playing for CQ Capras in the Queensland Cup but is set for his first NRL match of the season.
