NRL

Another slow start, followed by another fast finish.

Yep, the Dolphins are officially the NRL comeback kids of 2026.

Trailing their qualifying final against Warriors 16-8 in Auckland deep into the second half, Kristian Woolf’s side have surged home with three tries in the final 20 minutes to win their first-ever NRL final 26-16 and book a home preliminary final at Suncorp Stadium.

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“You can’t kill them off,” Dan Ginnane declared on Fox League as the Dolphins hit the front in the 66th minute through a length-of-the-field try to Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow.

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After taking a 12-8 advantage into half time, the Warriors were run ragged by an expansive Dolphins in the second forty minutes and were out on their feet in the closing stages as the Phins took full advantage.

In more good news for the Phins, the week off now gives rep prop Tom Flegler time to overcome the Cat 1 HIA that would have ruled him out of a Week 2 match-up against Newcastle.

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Instead the Warriors will now host the Knights in Auckland next weekend in a sudden death semi final.

The Warriors have more concerns with Alofiana Khan-Pereira and Adam Pompey both placed on report, while centre Leka Halasima failed to start after injuring his hamstring in the warmup and returning forward Jackson Ford left the field with an ankle issue in the second half.

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